World War II Honoree

Eddie E. "Ed" Barrett

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Cleveland, Pawnee County, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN 1943. TRAINED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AT CAMP HOOD AT KILLEEN, TEXAS; FORT SILL AT LAWTON, OKLAHOMA; CAMP LIVINGSTON AT ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA; AND CAMP SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA. STAGED AT CAMP MYLES STANDISH AT BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS ABOUT FEBRUARY 5, 1945 AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED FROM THE BOSTON PORT OF EMBARKATION ON FEBRUARY 19, 1945, ARRIVED IN FRANCE ON MARCH 1, 1945, AND PARTICIPATED IN THE CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGN. SERVED OVERSEAS WITH BATTERY B, 332ND FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION, 86TH INFANTRY 'BLACKHAWK' DIVISION IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER, INCLUDING IN FRANCE, BELGIUM, GERMANY, AND AUSTRIA IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO), DURING THE WAR. HIS DIVISION WAS OPERATING IN THE SALZBURG, AUSTRIA REGION WHEN HOSTILITIES ENDED ON MAY 7, 1945. HIS UNIT RETURNED TO NEW YORK ON JUNE 17, 1945 TO PREPARE FOR FURTHER DEPLOYMENT TO THE PACIFIC. TRAINED BRIEFLY AT CAMP GRUBER AT BRAGGS, OKLAHOMA, AND STAGED AT CAMP STONEMAN AT PITTSBURG, CALIFORNIA AWAITING OVERSEAS MOVEMENT. HIS UNIT WAS AT CAMP STONEMAN WHEN THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED THE UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER TERMS ON AUGUST 14, 1945. HIS DIVISION DEPARTED THE SAN FRANCISCO PORT OF EMBARKATION ON AUGUST 18, 1945 AND ARRIVED IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS ON SEPTEMBER 12, 1945. HE WAS AT SEA WHEN THE JAPANESE FORMALLY SURRENDERED IN TOKYO BAY AND PRESIDENT TRUMAN DECLARED VICTORY OVER JAPAN (V-J DAY) ON SEPTEMBER 2, 1945. SERVED BRIEFLY OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER IN THE PHILIPPINES AFTER THE END OF THE WAR. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 BRONZE SERVICE STAR, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1946 WITH THE RANK OF TECHNICIAN FOURTH GRADE AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.