World War II Honoree

Samuel A. 'Sam' Winrow

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Pawnee, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE IN 1940, BEFORE THE UNITED STATES ENTERED THE WAR. SERVED WITH THE OKLAHOMA NATIONAL GUARD UNTIL THE DIVISION WAS INDUCTED INTO FEDERAL SERVICE AT OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA ON SEPTEMBER 16, 1940. SERVED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AT FORT SILL AT LAWTON, OKLAHOMA IN 1940-41; CAMP BARKELEY AT ABILENE, TEXAS IN 1941-42; CAMP BOWIE AT BROWNWOOD, TEXAS IN JUNE, 1941 TO PARTICIPATE IN THE VIII CORPS TEXAS MANEUVERS; MANSFIELD, LOUISIANA IN AUGUST-SEPTEMBER, 1941 TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LOUISIANA MANEUVERS; FORT DEVENS AT AYER, MASSACHUSETTS IN 1942; PINE CAMP AT WATERTOWN, NEW YORK IN 1942-43; AND CAMP PICKETT AT BLACKSTONE, VIRGINIA IN 1943. STAGED WITH HIS UNIT AT CAMP PATRICK HENRY AT ORIANA, VIRGINIA ON MAY 25, 1943 AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED FROM THE HAMPTON ROADS PORT OF EMBARKATION ON JUNE 8, 1943, LANDED IN NORTH AFRICA ON JUNE 22, 1943 AND WENT INTO TRAINING AT ARZEW, ALGERIA. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 45TH INFANTRY 'THUNDERBIRD' DIVISION. SERVED IN COMBAT IN SICILY AND ITALY. PARTICIPATED IN THE SICILY, AND NAPLES-FOGGIA CAMPAIGNS. THE DIVISION ASSAULTED SCOGLITTI, SICILY ON JULY 10, 1943, AND SALERNO, ITALY ON SEPTEMBER 10, 1943. AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 2 BRONZE SERVICE STARS (2 CAMPAIGNS), AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. ALSO AWARDED THE FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM FOR ACTIONS BY HIS DIVISION AT ACQUAFONDATA, ITALY DURING THE NAPLES-FOGGIA CAMPAIGN. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1944 WITH THE RANK OF PRIVATE FIRST CLASS AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.