World War II Honoree

Henry C. Potter

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Pawnee, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN 1942. TRAINED WITH HIS UNIT IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AT CAMP BARKELEY AT ABILENE, TEXAS; AT THE LOUISIANA MANEUVER AREA, TO PARTICIPATE IN THE THIRD ARMY NO.1 LOUISIANA MANEUVERS FROM JANUARY-MARCH, 1943; AT CAMP YOUNG AT INDIO, CALIFORNIA, TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DESERT TRAINING CENTER NO.3 CALIFORNIA-ARIZONA MANEUVERS IN SEPTEMBER, 1943; AND AT FORT DIX AT WRIGHTSTOWN, NEW JERSEY. HIS DIVISION STAGED AT CAMP KILMER AT STELTON, NEW JERSEY ON MARCH 17, 1944 AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED FROM THE NEW YORK PORT OF EMBARKATION ON MARCH 23, 1944 AND ARRIVED IN ENGLAND ON APRIL 4, 1944. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER, IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO), WITH THE 90TH INFANTRY 'TOUGH 'OMBRES' DIVISION DURING THE WAR. HIS DIVISION LANDED AT UTAH BEACH IN NORMANDY, FRANCE ON JUNE 8, 1944 AS PART OF THE D-DAY INVASION FORCE. SERVED IN ENGLAND, FRANCE, LUXEMBOURG, BELGIUM, GERMANY, AND CZECHOSLOVAKIA DURING HIS TOUR OF DUTY. PARTICIPATED IN THE NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE), RHINELAND, AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. HIS DIVISION WAS ADVANCING ON PRAGUE, CZECHOSLOVAKIA WHEN HOSTILITIES WERE DECLARED ENDED ON MAY 7, 1945. THEN SERVED WITH OCCUPATION FORCES AFTER THE END OF HOSTILITIES. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 SILVER SERVICE STAR (5 CAMPAIGNS), WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1945 WITH THE RANK OF STAFF SERGEANT AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.