World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Kenneth Lee 'Ken' English
Branch of Service
U.S. Army
Hometown
Guthrie, Oklahoma
Honored By
Robert S. Cox
CALLED TO ACTIVE MILITARY SERVICE IN MAY, 1943. SERVED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER, INCLUDING AT CAMP CHAFFEE AT FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS. HIS UNIT SAILED FROM THE NEW YORK PORT OF EMBARKATION ON OCTOBER 14, 1944 AND ARRIVED IN FRANCE ON OCTOBER 28, 1944. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER, IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) WITH THE 94TH CAVALRY RECONNAISSANCE SQUADRON (MECHANIZED), 14TH ARMORED DIVISION. PARTICIPATED IN THE RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE), AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. HIS DIVISION ATTACKED FROM THE VICINITY OF KUHLENDORF, FRANCE TO BREAK THROUGH ENEMY LINES TO RELIEVE THE 79TH INFANTRY DIVISION IN THE HATTEN-RITTERSHOFFEN AREA OF FRANCE. HIS SQUADRON ADVANCED TO LOCATE AND REPORT ENEMY DISPOSITIONS AND PENETRATIONS. ENEMY FORMATIONS ATTACKING HATTAN WERE INITIALLY REPORTED AND WHEN SQUADRON OBSERVATION POSTS WERE OVERRUN, THEY DISPLACED RAPIDLY TO SECONDARY POSITIONS, AND CONTINUED THE MISSION. THEIR ACCURATE AND TIMELY REPORTING OF MULTIPLE GERMAN FORMATIONS ENVELOPING HATTAN SAVED THE AMERICAN FORCES POSITIONED THERE. DEFENDERS WERE ABLE TO BE RE-DEPLOYED, AND ACCURATE 14TH DIVISION FIREPOWER AND MANEUVER ASSETS WERE SUCCESSFULLY BROUGHT TO BEAR TO STOP A STRONG ENEMY ASSAULT FORCE. THIS FIERY ENGAGEMENT QUICKLY BECAME A STALEMATE IN THE ADJACENT TOWNS OF HATTEN AND RITTERSHOFFEN. BLOODY HOUSE-TO-HOUSE FIGHTING TOOK PLACE AS THE BATTLE EBBED AND FLOWED BETWEEN THE TOWNS, WHICH BECAME RAGING INFERNOS AND WERE REDUCED TO RUBBLE. HE WAS AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE SERVICE STARS (3 CAMPAIGNS), WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH ‘GERMANY’ CLASP. AUTHORIZED THE PRESIDENTIAL (DISTINGUISHED) UNIT CITATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION BY HIS UNIT IN COMBAT ON JANUARY 9, 1945, AT HATTEN-RITTERSHOFFEN, FRANCE. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.