World War II Honoree

Mark Fachman

Hometown

Iowa

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

IN 1945, HE AND FELLOW SAILORS WERE TRAVELING BY TROOP TRAIN TO TREASURE ISLAND, CALIFORNIA FOR DEPLOYMENT TO THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER. DURING A STOP AT THE NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA STATION HE DISCOVERED THAT THE CANTEEN WAS CLOSED. HE AND FRIENDS SAW A 'TAVERN' SIGN ABOUT A BLOCK AWAY AND DECIDED TO GO THERE FOR REFRESHMENTS DURING THE 30-MINUTE STOP. UNFORTUNATELY, THE TROOP TRAIN PULLED OUT AFTER ONLY 10 MINUTES AND THEY WERE LEFT BEHIND. STATION PERSONNEL GOT THEM ON THE NEXT TRAIN AND THEY WERE ABLE TO REBOARD THEIR ORIGINAL TRAIN IN CHEYENNE, WYOMING. THEIR ABSENCE HAD NOT BEEN OFFICIALLY NOTICED AND THEREFORE THEIR TEMPORARY AWOL (ABSENCE WITHOUT OFFICIAL LEAVE) STATUS WAS AVERTED. SERVED DURING THE WAR, WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.