World War II Honoree

Gilbert Alvin Woehl

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Lodi, California

Honored By

Verla, Gary and Linda Woehl, & Brenda and David Patton

Relationship

Wife, Son & Daughter-in-law and Daughter & Son-in-law

HE JOINED THE U.S. ARMY ON NOVEMBER 21, 1942. HE SERVED IN THE 13TH (BLACK CATS) AND 7TH ARMORED DIVISIONS. TRAINED AT CAMP BEALE IN CALIFORNIA, CAMP BOWIE IN TEXAS, CAMP MEADE IN MARYLAND AND CAMP SHANK IN NEW YORK FOR THE 13TH ARMORED DIVISION. LATER, HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE 7TH ARMORED DIVISION AND THEN SHIPPED OUT TO THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO). IN JULY OF 1944, HE LANDED ON THE NORMANDY BEACHES OF FRANCE (OMAHA BEACH) AND FOUGHT HIS WAY THROUGH FRANCE. DURING A BATTLE ON OCTOBER 29, 1944 IN NIJMEGEN, HOLLAND, HE AND HIS FELLOW SOLDIERS RAN OUT OF AMMUNITION AND WERE CAPTURED AND BECAME PRISONERS OF WAR. HE WAS HELD AS A PRISONER OF WAR BY ENEMY FORCES IN NEW BRANDENBURG, GERMANY STALAG 2A UNTIL MAY OF 1945, WHEN THE CAMP WAS LIBERATED BY THE RUSSIANS. WHEN HE WAS CAPTURED HE WEIGHED 170 POUNDS, WHEN HE WAS LIBERATED HE WEIGHED 97 POUNDS. HE WAS SENT TO A HOSPITAL IN BERLIN TO RECOVER FROM STARVATION AND HAVE AN APPENDECTOMY BY A POLISH DOCTOR. FINALLY, HE ARRIVED BACK IN THE UNITED STATES IN JULY OF 1945 AND WAS HONORABLE DISCHARGED ON NOVEMBER 21, 1945 AS A CORPORAL. IN THE ARMY, HIS MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY WAS A MORTAR GUNNER FOR THE 413TH INFANTRY REGIMENT. HE RECEIVED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND PURPLE HEART MEDAL. HE WAS PROUD TO HAVE SERVED HIS COUNTRY IN COMBAT IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) AND TO HAVE BEEN A SOLDIER IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY.