World War II Honoree

Daniel S. Fruchter

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Eastchester, New York

Honored By

A Thankful American

HE WAS RAISED IN AN ORPHANAGE AND JOINED THE ARMY IN 1939. HE WAS TO BE DISCHARGED ON DECEMBER 8, 1941, AND WAS IN A PEARL HARBOR MESS HALL FOR A FAREWELL BREAKFAST WITH FRIENDS WHEN THE ATTACK BEGAN. BY THE TIME IT WAS OVER, MORE THAN 2,000 SOLDIERS AND SAILORS HAD BEEN KILLED AND THE U.S. PACIFIC FLEET WAS DESTROYED. A CORPORAL IN AN ARTILLERY UNIT, HE SPENT THE NEXT TWO YEARS FIGHTING BATTLES ON ISLANDS WHERE THE JAPANESE WERE ENTRENCHED, INCLUDING GUADALCANAL, NEW GUINEA AND THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. HE LEFT THE SERVICE IN 1946 AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT.