World War II Honoree

Rodrigue O. Girard

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

East Haven, Connecticut

Honored By

Rose, Suzanne & Raymond Girard

Relationship

Wife, Daughter & Son

INDUCTED FEBRUARY 10, 1942. BASIC TRAINING IN PINE CAMP NEW YORK. FURTHER TRAINING AT THE TENNESSEE MANEUVER AREA, DESERT TRAINING CENTER AT CAMP YOUNG CALIFORNIA, NOVEMBER 1942. TANK TRAINING IN CAMP BOWIE TEXAS, JULY 1943. OVERSEAS TO ENGLAND, JANUARY 1944. CORPORAL. SERVED IN GENERAL GEORGE S. PATTON JR.'S 3RD ARMY, 4TH ARMORED DIVISION, 24TH ARMORED ENGINEER BATTALION, HEADQUARTERS COMPANY, WHICH WAS THE FIRST ARMORED DIVISION TO RECEIVE THE DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATION. SERVED IN EUROPE IN NORMANDY, FRANCE (UTAH BEACH JULY 11, 1944); BELGIUM, (ARDENNES CAMPAIGN DECEMBER 18, 1944); LUXEMBOURG (JANUARY 1945); THE RHINELAND, GERMANY (MARCH 1945) AND CZECHOSLOVAKIA (MAY 1945). ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE LIBERATION OF BASTOGNE IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. HE HAD FOUR BROTHERS ALSO SERVING; TWO IN THE ARMY, ONE IN THE AIR FORCE AND ONE IN THE MERCHANT MARINES.