World War II Honoree

Gene Womble

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN 1944, JUST AFTER TURNING AGE 20. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER AS A SCOUT WITH THE 3RD BATTALION, 395TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 99TH INFANTRY 'CHECKERBOARD' DIVISION. HIS REGIMENT LANDED AT LE HAVRE, FRANCE ON NOVEMBER 1, 1944, AND PARTICIPATED IN THE RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE), AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. HIS SCOUTING DUTIES KEPT HIM AND HIS UNIT ON THE MOVE, INCLUDING BEHIND ENEMY LINES. DURING ONE SUCH MISSION, HIS UNIT TOOK REFUGE IN AN ABANDONED FARM HOUSE, WHERE EACH MAN TOOK A TURN ON WATCH. SOON AFTER CHANGING WATCH, THE MAN WHO REPLACED HIM WAS KILLED BY ENEMY FIRE, SHOWING THE VAGARIES OF COMBAT. IN DECEMBER, 1944, HIS UNIT WAS OPERATING IN THE ARDENNES FOREST ON THE BELGIUM BORDER WHEN THE GERMANS LAUNCHED A MASSIVE COUNTEROFFENSIVE TO RIP THROUGH THE ALLIED LINES AND TAKE THE KEY PORT OF ANTWERP, BELGIUM. THE RESULTING BATTLE OF THE BULGE WAS FOUGHT IN BRUTAL WEATHER AGAINST A LARGER AND BETTER EQUIPPED GERMAN FORCE AT THE POINT OF THE ATTACK. THE BATTLE WAS THE LARGEST FOUGHT ON THE WESTERN FRONT AND THE LARGEST EVER FOUGHT BY THE U.S. ARMY. IN THE FACE OF THESE ODDS, HIS REGIMENT HELD ITS GROUND IN THE SIX-WEEK ACTION AND INFLICTED MASSIVE CASUALTIES ON THE ENEMY. A COMBINATION OF THE BRAVERY OF THE MEN IN THE REGIMENT AND THEIR ABILITY TO BRING EFFECTIVE ARTILLERY FIRE TO BEAR ON THE ENEMY MADE THE ESSENTIAL DIFFERENCE IN THE OUTCOME OF THE BATTLE IN THEIR SECTOR. WHEN THE BATTLE ENDED, THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF DEAD GERMANS IN FRONT OF HIS PLATOON'S POSITIONS. HE WAS WOUNDED IN ACTION DURING THE BATTLE. AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH ‘GERMANY’ CLASP. AUTHORIZED THE PRESIDENTIAL (DISTINGUISHED) UNIT CITATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION BY HIS BATTALION IN GERMANY. AUTHORIZED THE BELGIAN FOURRAGERE FOR HIS DIVISION BEING CITED TWICE IN THE ORDER OF THE DAY OF THE BELGIAN ARMY FOR ACTIONS AT THE SIEGFRIED LINE AND AGAIN AT ELSENBORN CREST. HIS BATTALION WAS CITED AGAIN IN THE ORDER OF THE DAY OF THE BELGIAN ARMY FOR ACTIONS IN THE ARDENNES. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN DECEMBER, 1945 AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.