World War II Honoree

Charles William O'Rourke

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Middletown, New York

Honored By

Karen Wulffert

Relationship

Daughter

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS. INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES ARMY ON OCTOBER 19, 1942 AT THE INDUCTION STATION, GRAND CENTRAL PALACE, NEW YORK CITY. ON NOVEMBER 2, 1942, HE REPORTED TO CAMP UPTON, LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK AND FROM THERE WAS ORDERED TO FORT MCCLELLAN, ALABAMA FOR BASIC TRAINING. AFTER BASIC TRAINING, HE WAS ORDERED TO THE MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO) LEAVING ON MAY 9, 1943 ABOARD A TROOP TRANSPORT SHIP. ARRIVED IN NORTH AFRICA ON MAY 23, 1943 TO SERVE WITH THE 5TH ARMY UNDER GENERAL MARK CLARK. SERVED IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN NORTH AFRICA, SICILY, AND ROME, ITALY AS PART OF THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN. IN DECEMBER 1944, HE WAS WOUNDED NEAR BAGNOLI, ITALY. AFTER 16 WEEKS RECUPERATING AT THE 225TH STATION HOSPITAL HE WAS RETURNED TO DUTY. ON NOVEMBER 20, 1945, AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF WWII, HE LEFT FOR THE UNITED STATES AND WAS DISCHARGED AT FORT DIX, NEW JERSEY ON DECEMBER 2, 1945.