World War II Honoree

Charles Joseph Farrell

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Cumberland, Maryland

Honored By

Christine Farrell Stewart

Relationship

Daughter

INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY ON MARCH 29, 1944 AT FORT MEADE, MARYLAND. HIS TRAINING BEGAN IN APRIL, 1944 AT CAMP BLANDING, FLORIDA INFANTRY REPLACEMENT TRAINING CENTER. ASSIGNED TO COMPANY F, 204TH BATTALION, 63RD REGIMENT. ON JUNE 14, 1944 HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE CAVALRY REPLACEMENT TRAINING CENTER AT FORT RILEY, KANSAS. HE WAS IN BARRACKS 2045, TROOP C, 1ST TRAINING REGIMENT. TROOPS WERE TRAINED ON HORSEBACK, ONE OF THE LAST HORSE TRAINED TROOPS IN THE UNITED STATES. AFTER TRAINING, HE WAS ASSIGNED AS A RIFLEMAN IN COMPANY K, 3RD BATTALION, 475TH INFANTRY REGIMENT. IN SEPTEMBER OF 1944 HE WAS SHIPPED OUT OF FORT ORD, CALIFORNIA TO INDIA. HIS REGIMENT, THE 475TH INFANTRY REGIMENT (LONG RANGE PENETRATION REGIMENT, SPECIAL) WAS PART OF THE 5332D BRIGADE (PROVISIONAL), ALSO KNOWN AS THE MARS TASK FORCE. THE U.S. MISSION IN THE CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER OF OPERATIONS WAS TO OPEN THE BURMA ROAD FROM INDIA THROUGH JAPANESE OCCUPIED BURMA TO CHINA. THE MISSION OF THE MARS TASK FORCE WAS TO OPERATE AROUND AND BEHIND ENEMY LINES, CUT OFF SUPPLIES AND REINFORCEMENTS, AND CLEAR THE BURMA ROAD. BECAUSE OF THE RUGGED BURMA TERRAIN, MULES WERE USED TO CARRY SUPPLIES AND MUNITIONS. AIR DROPS WERE USED TO RE-SUPPLY THE TROOPS. STARTING IN OCTOBER 1944, HE WAS PART OF AN OFFENSIVE TO TAKE THE AREA AROUND BHAMO, BURMA. AS A RIFLEMAN, HE PARTICIPATED IN THE GROUND ACTIONS DURING THIS TIME. ON DECEMBER 6, 1944, HE WAS ADMITTED TO THE 3RD BATTALION AID STATION IN BHAMO, BURMA. HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE 20TH GENERAL HOSPITAL IN ASSAM, INDIA ON DECEMBER 7, 1944. HIS DIAGNOSIS WAS SEVERE SCRUB TYPHUS FEVER WITH ACUTE SEVERE MENINGO-ENCEPHALITIS AND ACUTE SEVERE MYOCARDITIS. HE WAS UNCONSCIOUS WITH HIGH FEVER FOR 30 DAYS. IN MARCH OF 1945 WHILE STILL IN THE HOSPITAL, HE ALSO CONTRACTED ENTERITIS CAUSED BY SALMONELLA. BECAUSE OF ALL THE ILLNESSES, HE HAD LOST MOST OF HIS HAIR AND WAS SO DEBILITATED THAT HE HAD TO HAVE THERAPY TO BE RETRAINED TO WALK. HE DEPARTED INDIA BY SHIP ON JUNE 1, 1945 AND ARRIVED BACK IN THE U.S. ON JUNE 7, 1945. HE WAS IN A CONVALESCENT HOSPITAL IN MIAMI, FLORIDA FOR A SHORT WHILE. FROM THERE HE WAS TRANSFERRED IN JUNE 1945 TO MOORE GENERAL HOSPITAL IN SWANNANOA, NORTH CAROLINA. HE WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH DISABILITY ON AUGUST 24, 1945. HE RECEIVED A BRONZE STAR, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE AND A PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION RIBBON FOR HIS SERVICE.