World War II Honoree

James Baker Gervais

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Christopher, Illinois

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE ON DECEMBER 9, 1942. SERVED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER, INCLUDING AT CAMP CLAIBORNE AT ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA AND CAMP HOWZE AT GAINESVILLE, TEXAS. HIS UNIT STAGED AT CAMP SHANKS AT ORANGEBURG, NEW YORK ON SEPTEMBER 25, 1944 AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED FROM THE NEW YORK PORT OF EMBARKATION ON OCTOBER 6, 1944 AND ARRIVED AT MARSEILLES, FRANCE ON OCTOBER 20, 1944. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 409TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 103RD INFANTRY 'CACTUS' DIVISION. PARTICIPATED IN COMBAT OPERATIONS, INCLUDING IN THE RHINELAND CAMPAIGN. HIS REGIMENT FOUGHT IN THE VOSGES MOUNTAINS TO TAKE THE TOWN OF ST. DIE AND OUTFLANKED THE STEIGE PASS TO CLEAR THE TOWN OF SELESTAT IN HOUSE-TO-HOUSE FIGHTING. TAKEN AS A PRISONER OF WAR (POW) BY THE GERMANS IN DECEMBER, 1944 AND WAS IN THREE DIFFERENT POW CAMPS FOR ABOUT FOUR MONTHS UNTIL THE WAR IN EUROPE ENDED. AWARDED THE PRISONER OF WAR MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RANK OF TECHNICAL SERGEANT AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.