World War II Honoree

Oliver J. Drew

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Columbia, South Carolina

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

SERVED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER, INITIALLY ASSIGNED TO THE 85TH INFANTRY DIVISION AT CAMP SHELBY AT HATTIESBURG, MISSISSIPPI. MOVED TO THE LOUISIANA MANEUVER AREA NEAR LEESVILLE ON APRIL 8, 1943, AND PARTICIPATED IN THE THIRD ARMY NO. 2 LOUISIANA MANEUVERS. MOVED TO CAMP YOUNG AT INDIO, CALIFORNIA ON JUNE 13, 1943 AND PARTICIPATED IN THE DESERT TRAINING CENTER NO. 3 CALIFORNIA MANEUVERS. HIS UNIT WAS TRANSFERRED TO FORT DIX, AT WRIGHTSTOWN, NEW JERSEY ON OCTOBER 12, 1943 AND STAGED AT CAMP PATRICK HENRY AT ORIANA, VIRGINIA ON DECEMBER 20, 1943 AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED FROM THE HAMPTON ROADS PORT OF EMBARKATION ON DECEMBER 24, 1943 AND LANDED AT CASABLANCA, MOROCCO IN NORTH AFRICA ON JANUARY 2, 1944. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 337TH INFANTRY ‘WOLVERINES’ REGIMENT, 85TH INFANTRY ‘CUSTER’ DIVISION. PARTICIPATED IN THE ROME-ARNO CAMPAIGN. ARRIVED AT NAPLES, ITALY ON MARCH 27, 1944; WENT INTO THE LINE WEST OF MINTURNO ON APRIL 10, 1944; AND HELD DEFENSIVE POSITIONS FACING THE GUSTAV LINE FOR A MONTH. HIS UNIT ASSAULTED THE GUSTAV LINE ON MAY 11, 1944 TO OVERRUN CASTELLONORATO AND WAS ADVANCING TOWARD MT. CAMPESE. DURING THIS OPERATION, HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION ON MAY 14, 1944. PRIVATE DREW WAS POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH BRONZE SERVICE STAR, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL.