World War II Honoree

Howard Elson Bigelow

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Greenfield, Massachusetts

Honored By

M. Blackwell and G. Holcomb

ENTERED SERVICE IN 1943, TRAINED AT VARIOUS U.S. LOCATIONS AND THEN SENT TO THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS IN 1944. LIKE MANY, HE WAS CAUGHT BY THE GERMAN COUNTERATTACK DURING THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE AND TAKEN PRISONER. HE WAS THEN SHIPPED TO EASTERN GERMANY WHERE HE WAS HELD IN A PRISONER OF WAR CAMP UNTIL LIBERATED BY THE SOVIET ARMY IN APRIL 1945. AFTER EXCHANGE TO THE AMERICAN ARMY, HE RECUPERATED, RETURNED TO THE U.S. AND WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN DECEMBER 1945.