World War II Honoree

Jean Emery

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Alhambra, California

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

DRAFTED INTO MILITARY SERVICE AT AGE 18. HIS DIVISION STAGED AT CAMP MYLES STANDISH AT BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS ON AUGUST 12, 1944 AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED FROM THE BOSTON PORT OF EMBARKATION ON AUGUST 20, 1944 AND ARRIVED IN ENGLAND ON AUGUST 25, 1944. SERVED AS A PARACHUTE INFANTRYMAN OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 17TH AIRBORNE DIVISION DURING THE WAR. HIS DIVISION WAS FLOWN TO THE REIMS, FRANCE AREA BY EMERGENCY NIGHT FLIGHT ON DECEMBER 23-25, 1944. THEIR RAPID DEPLOYMENT WAS IN RESPONSE TO THE MAJOR GERMAN OFFENSIVE ALONG THE GERMAN-BELGIUM BORDER AREA IN THE HILLY, HEAVILY-FORESTED ARDENNES REGION. PARTICIPATED IN THE ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE) CAMPAIGN. HIS UNIT INITIALLY DEFENDED ALONG THE MEUSE RIVER FROM DECEMBER 27-31, 1944. THEY MOVED TO THE NEUFCHATEAU, BELGIUM AREA ON JANUARY 1, 1945, ATTACKED ON JANUARY 3, 1945 SOME 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF BASTOGNE, BELGIUM, AND TOOK THE TOWN OF FLAMIERGE, BELGIUM ON JANUARY 7, 1945. IN THE PROCESS OF THE ATTACK ON FLAMIERGE, HE WAS TAKEN AS A PRISONER OF WAR BY THE GERMANS ON JANUARY 7, 1945, DURING WHAT BECAME KNOWN AS THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. RELEASED FROM CAPTIVITY ON APRIL 28, 1945, AND REPATRIATED TO FORT BENNING AT COLUMBUS, GEORGIA IN OCTOBER, 1945. AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, PARACHUTIST BADGE, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, PRISONER OF WAR MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 BRONZE SERVICE STAR, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. CONTINUED IN U.S. ARMY SERVICE AFTER THE WAR UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT WITH THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL. ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.