World War II Honoree

Ivan Edward Berger

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Orlando, Logan & Payne Counties, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

Relationship

Relationship Not Determined

JOINED THE 45TH 'THUNDERBIRD' DIVISION, OKLAHOMA NATIONAL GUARD IN JANUARY, 1941. STATIONED AT FORT SILL AT LAWTON, OKLAHOMA WITH THE 158TH FIELD ARTILLERY REGIMENT (75MM PACK HOWITZER). THE 2ND BATTALION, 158TH FIELD ARTILLERY WAS TRANSFERRED TO CAMP BARKELEY AT ABILENE, TEXAS ON MARCH 7, 1941. AFTER THE JAPANESE SURPRISE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII ON DECEMBER 7, 1941, SERVED INITIALLY IN THE AMERICAN THEATER DURING THE WAR. HIS BATTALION WAS THEN FURTHER REASSIGNED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER TO THE PANAMA CANAL ZONE. DEPARTED THE NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA PORT OF EMBARKATION ON DECEMBER 29, 1941, AND ARRIVED IN THE CANAL ZONE ON JANUARY 6, 1942. HIS UNIT WAS REDESIGNATED THE 207TH FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION ON FEBRUARY 11, 1942, AS AN 8-INCH HOWITZER, TRACTOR DRAWN NON-DIVISIONAL UNIT. AFTER SERVING ABOUT 18 MONTHS DEFENDING THE CANAL ZONE AGAINST A POSSIBLE ATTACK, HIS BATTALION WAS REASSIGNED TO FORT ORD AT MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA FOR HOWITZER TRAINING AND PREPARATION FOR COMBAT DEPLOYMENT OVERSEAS. HIS BATTALION DEPARTED THE SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA PORT OF EMBARKATION ON JUNE 25, 1943, AND LATER THE NEW YORK PORT OF EMBARKATION ON JULY 26, 1944. ARRIVED IN ENGLAND ON AUGUST 5, 1944, AND LANDED IN FRANCE ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1944. SERVED OVERSEAS AS A RADIO OPERATOR AND AMMUNITION SERGEANT IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER, IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO), IN ENGLAND, FRANCE, BELGIUM AND GERMANY. PARTICIPATED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER, NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE WHILE COORDINATING AND DELIVERING CRITICAL SUPPLIES AND AMMUNITION UNDER INTENSE ENEMY FIRE AND CONSTANT BLACKOUT CONDITIONS DURING THE PERIOD OCTOBER 25, 1944, TO JANUARY 1, 1945. HIS BATTALION WAS SERVING IN TANN, GERMANY WITH OCCUPATION FORCES IN AUGUST, 1945, WHEN THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT UNCONDITIONALLY SURRENDERED AND WWII ENDED. HIS BATTALION RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES AND ARRIVED AT THE NEW YORK PORT OF EMBARKATION ON NOVEMBER 14, 1945. ALSO AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE SERVICE STARS (3 CAMPAIGNS), WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH ‘GERMANY’ CLASP. HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RANK OF TECHNICAL SERGEANT AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.