World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Woodrow W. Wiltse
Branch of Service
U.S. Army
Hometown
Saginaw, Michigan
Honored By
Robert S. Cox
ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE, APPLIED, AND WAS SELECTED FOR OFFICER TRAINING AND ATTENDED FIELD ARTILLERY OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL (OCS) AT FORT SILL AT LAWTON, OKLAHOMA. GRADUATED IN APRIL, 1943 AND WAS COMMISSIONED A FIELD ARTILLERY SECOND LIEUTENANT. ASSIGNED TO THE 79TH INFANTRY DIVISION AND SERVED AND TRAINED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AT CAMP FORREST AT TULLAHOMA, TENNESSEE; THE DESERT TRAINING CENTER AT CAMP YOUNG AT INDIO, CALIFORNIA; AND CAMP PHILLIPS AT SALINA, KANSAS. STAGED WITH HIS UNIT AT CAMP MYLES STANDISH AT BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS ABOUT MARCH 31, 1944 AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED FROM THE BOSTON PORT OF EMBARKATION ON APRIL 7, 1944 AND ARRIVED IN ENGLAND ON APRIL 16, 1944. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 79TH INFANTRY 'CROSS OF LORRAINE' DIVISION ARTILLERY. LANDED ACROSS UTAH BEACH ON JUNE 14, 1944 (D-DAY+8) DURING THE INVASION OF NORMANDY. PARTICIPATED IN THE NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE), AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. TOOK PART IN COMBAT OPERATIONS IN FRANCE, BELGIUM, HOLLAND AND GERMANY. PERFORMED A VARIETY OF FIELD ARTILLERY JUNIOR OFFICER OPERATIONAL, COMMAND AND STAFF DUTIES DURING HIS TOUR, INCLUDING SERVING AS A BATTERY OFFICER, FORWARD OBSERVER, AND LIAISON OFFICER. AWARDED THE SILVER STAR FOR GALLANTRY IN BATTLE, BRONZE STAR MEDAL WITH 3 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, PURPLE HEART FOR WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 SILVER SERVICE STAR (5 CAMPAIGNS), WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL. ALSO AWARDED THE FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH BRONZE PALM FOR ACTIONS BY HIS UNIT AT PARROY FOREST IN FRANCE. AWARDED A SECOND FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH BRONZE PALM FOR ACTIONS BY HIS UNIT IN ACTIONS FROM NORMANDY TO PARIS IN FRANCE. AUTHORIZED THE FRENCH FOURRAGERE FOR HIS UNIT BEING CITED TWICE FOR THE CROIX DE GUERRE. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1945 AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON. RECALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY AFTER THE WAR AND SERVED UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT WITH THE RANK OF COLONEL.