World War II Honoree

George Ernst Behrenfeld

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE IN 1941. SERVED AS A PHARMACIST'S MATE OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN (EAME) THEATER, IN THE NORTH AFRICAN/MEDITERRANEAN THEATERS OF OPERATION (NATOUSA/MTOUSA), ABOARD THE ATTACK TRANSPORT SHIP USS LEONARD WOOD (APA-12). HIS SHIP DEPARTED HAMPTON ROADS, VIRGINIA ON OCTOBER 24, 1943, TRANSPORTING ELEMENTS OF THE U.S. 3RD INFANTRY DIVISION. THE SHIP LANDED TROOPS AND PROVIDED FIRE SUPPORT AT FEDHALA, FRENCH MOROCCO FROM NOVEMBER 9-12, 1943, DURING THE NORTH AFRICAN OCCUPATION LANDINGS. THE VESSEL ALSO RESCUED SURVIVORS FROM TORPEDOED SISTER SHIPS, BEFORE RETIRING TO CASABLANCA, MOROCCO. HE TRANSFERRED TO THE ATTACK TRANSPORT SHIP USS THOMAS JEFFERSON (APA-30) FOR CONTINUED SERVICE IN THE EAME, IN THE MTOUSA AND EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO). THE TRANSPORT ARRIVED OFF SALERNO, ITALY ON SEPTEMBER 8, 1943, AND LANDED EMBARKED TROOPS, WHILE UNDER INTENSE ENEMY AIR ATTACKS. HE WENT ASHORE TO CARE FOR WOUNDED ON THE BEACH. THERE, HE HELPED TREAT A GRAVELY WOUNDED YOUNG MEDICAL OFFICER FROM TULSA, OKLAHOMA. BACK ABOARD SHIP, THE USS THOMAS JEFFERSON WAS ATTACKED AND STRUCK BY GERMAN AERIAL BOMBS AND HE WAS FORCED TO SPEND HOURS IN THE SEA BEFORE BEING RESCUED. HIS SHIP WAS REPAIRED AND SHUTTLED TROOPS FROM NORTH AFRICA TO ITALY, THEN TRANSPORTED TROOPS TO BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND, BEFORE RETURNING TO NORFOLK, VIRGINIA ON JANUARY 1, 1944. THE WARSHIP SAILED FOR BELFAST ON FEBRUARY 11, 1944, THEN CONDUCTED AMPHIBIOUS TRAINING OPERATIONS IN PREPARATION FOR THE NORMANDY INVASION. PARTICIPATED IN THE D-DAY INVASION AT NORMANDY, FRANCE ON JUNE 7, 1944, DISCHARGING TROOPS, BEFORE RETURNING TO ENGLAND. HE HAS A FOND MEMORY OF RETURNING TO THE UNITED STATES ABOARD THE CONVERTED LUXURY LINER QUEEN MARY. AWARDED THE COMBAT ACTION RIBBON, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1945 WITH THE RATING OF PHARMACIST'S MATE FIRST CLASS AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.