World War II Honoree

Bruce Smith Crotts

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Lexington, North Carolina

Honored By

Shirley Smith Koontz

Relationship

Cousin

MASTER SERGEANT. HE ENTERED THE MILITARY APRIL 2, 1943, AND SERVED OVERSEAS FROM OCTOBER, 1943, TO NOVEMBER 1945, WITH THE U.S. ARMY TRANSPORTATION CORPS IN SALISBURY, ENGLAND, AND RHEIMS, FRANCE. HE WAS WITH THE CORPS HEADQUARTERS WHICH ASSISTED IN THE PLANNING OF 'OPERATION OVERLORD' INVASION OF OMAHA BEACH (D-DAY). IN FRANCE, HIS UNIT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE 'RED BALL EXPRESS', A MASSIVE LOGISTICS OPERATION THAT MOVED 6,000 TRUCKS AND TRAILERS THAT DELIVERED OVER 412,000 TONS OF AMMUNITION, FOOD, AND FUEL TO TROOPS IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS BETWEEN AUGUST 25 AND NOVEMBER 16, 1944. HIS OFFICE IN RHEIMS WAS NEAR THE 'LITTLE RED SCHOOL HOUSE' WHERE THE VICTORY IN EUROPE PEACE AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED, AND HE MARCHED IN THE RHEIMS VICTORY PARADE LED BY GENERAL DWIGHT EISENHOWER.