World War II Honoree

Jack Warden

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Newark, New Jersey

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

HE PROUDLY SERVED HIS COUNTRY IN THE U.S. ARMY DURING WWII AFTER ENLISTING IN THE U.S. NAVY AND BEING STATIONED IN CHINA WITH THE YANGTZE RIVER PATROL AND SWITCHING TO THE U.S. MERCHANT MARINE WHERE HE TIRED OF LONG CONVOY RUNS AND EVENTUALLY SWITCHED TO THE U.S. ARMY AS A PARATROOPER IN 1942, WITH THE 501ST PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT, 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION. AS A STAFF SERGEANT, IN JUNE OF 1944 ON THE EVE OF THE D-DAY INVASION OF NORMANDY, HE SHATTERED HIS LEG BY LANDING IN A TREE ON NIGHT-TIME PRACTICE JUMP IN ENGLAND. HE SPENT 8 MONTHS IN A HOSPITAL RECUPERATING AND WAS SHIPPED STATESIDE. HE LEFT WITH THE RANK OF MASTER SERGEANT.