World War II Honoree

John Lafayette Barnett, Sr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Kilgore, Texas

Honored By

Mary J. Barnett Howard

Relationship

Daughter

347TH ENGINEER GENERAL SERVICE REGIMENT (ADVANCE SECTION). SERVED ACROSS THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. LEFT THE U.S. IN THE SUMMER OF 1942. HE SERVED IN ENGLAND FOR TWO YEARS BEFORE ENTERING EUROPE ON JUNE 27, 1944. THE 347TH PREPARED FOR THE INVASION IN ENGLAND; THEN ONCE IN FRANCE, MOVED AHEAD OF THE ARMY, BUILDING OR DESTROYING ROADS, BRIDGES, AND EQUIPMENT AS NEEDED. THEY WERE NOT ATTACHED TO ANY ARMY, BUT FLOATED BETWEEN THEM, SERVING WHERE AND WHEN THEIR SKILLS WERE NEEDED. MOST OF THE 347TH WERE LOGGERS AND TRUCKERS WHO HAD HEAVY EQUIPMENT SKILLS. AT ONE POINT, THEY WERE TEMPORARILY ATTACHED TO PATTON’S 3RD ARMY. THREE YEARS LATER, HE HAD EARNED ENOUGH POINTS TO RETURN HOME. ONE FINAL CALL BACK TO THE FRONT TO HELP DISABLE A LARGE CRANE BEFORE IT FELL INTO GERMAN HANDS LED HIM ONTO THE BATTLEFIELD AGAIN, THIS TIME FOR THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. HE WAS ON THE BEACHES OF NORMANDY FOR THE INVASION, IN PARIS FOR THE LIBERATION, AND IN SALZBURG, AUSTRIA, FOR THE FALL OF THE THIRD REICH.