World War II Honoree

Robert K. 'Bob' Billings

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

STAGED WITH HIS UNIT AT CAMP KILMER AT STELTON, NEW JERSEY ON FEBRUARY 13, 1945 AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED FROM THE NEW YORK PORT OF EMBARKATION ON FEBRUARY 19, 1945 AND ARRIVED LE HAVRE, FRANCE ON MARCH 1, 1945. SERVED AS A L-5 'SENTINEL' LIAISON PILOT OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 97TH INFANTRY 'TRIDENT' DIVISION. PARTICIPATED IN THE CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGN. ENTERED GERMANY ON MARCH 28, 1945. HIS DIVISION ENGAGED GERMAN FORCES IN THE RUHR POCKET AT SIEGBURG FROM APRIL 7-10, 1945; THEN ATTACKED THROUGH SOLINGEN TOWARD DUSSELDORF WHICH FELL ON APRIL 18, 1945 AND THEREBY ELIMINATED THE RUHR POCKET. HIS DIVISION ATTACKED TOWARD CHERB, CZECHOSLOVAKIA ON APRIL 25, 1945; PUSHED ON TOWARD PILSEN ON MAY 5, 1945; AND REACHED KONSTANTINOVY, CZECHOSLOVAKIA ON MAY 7, 1945 WHEN HOSTILITIES ENDED. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 BRONZE SERVICE STAR, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH ‘GERMANY’ CLASP. SUBSEQUENTLY SERVED AS A FIRST LIEUTENANT WITH ARMY OCCUPATION FORCES IN SENDAI, JAPAN WITH THE 11TH AIRBORNE 'ANGELS' DIVISION. AWARDED THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH 'JAPAN' CLASP. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.