World War II Honoree

George J. Hagerty

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

HE PROUDLY SERVED IN THE U.S. ARMY 102ND INFANTRY 'OZARKS' DIVISION. HE ARRIVED AT CHERBOURG, FRANCE, SEPTEMBER 23, 1944, AND, AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TRAINING NEAR VALOGNES, MOVED TO THE GERMAN-NETHERLANDS BORDER. TRAINED FOR RIVER CROSSING. ON FEBRUARY 23, 1945; ATTACKED ACROSS THE ROER, ADVANCED TOWARD LÖVENICH AND ERKELENZ, TOOK KREFELD, MARCH 3RD, AND REACHED THE RHINE. WAS ON THE DEFENSIVE ALONG THE RHINE, ITS SECTOR EXTENDING FROM HOMBURG SOUTH TO DÜSSELDORF. CROSSED THE RIVER ON APRIL 9TH ON PONTOON BRIDGES. ATTACKED IN THE WESERGEBIRGE, MEETING STIFF OPPOSITION. AFTER 3 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF TERRIFIC ENEMY RESISTANCE WILSEDE AND HESSISCH-OLDENDORF FELL, APRIL 12, 1945, AND HE PUSHED ON TO THE ELBE, MEETING LITTLE RESISTANCE. BREITENFELD FELL, APRIL 15TH. ON MAY 3, 1945, MET WITH THE RUSSIAN 156TH DIVISION JUST OUTSIDE OF BERLIN.