World War II Honoree

Benton Victor Furrh

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

BEFORE ENTERING MILITARY SERVICE, HE SERVED WITH THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS (CCC), A U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAM TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT. ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE AND SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER, IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO), AS A SURGICAL TECHNICIAN WITH THE 2ND INFANTRY 'INDIANHEAD' DIVISION. HIS DIVISION STAGED AT CAMP SHANKS AT ORANGEBURG, NEW YORK ON OCTOBER 3, 1943, AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED FROM THE NEW YORK PORT OF EMBARKATION ON OCTOBER 8, 1943, AND ARRIVED IN ENGLAND ON OCTOBER 18, 1943. THE DIVISION LANDED AT OMAHA BEACH IN NORMANDY, FRANCE ON JUNE 7, 1944, MOVED INTO BELGIUM ON SEPTEMBER 29, 1944, INTO GERMANY ON OCTOBER 3, 1944, AND INTO CZECHOSLOVAKIA ON MAY 4, 1945. GERMANY UNCONDITIONALLY SURRENDERED TO THE ALLIES ON MAY 7, 1945, TO BECOME EFFECTIVE AT MIDNIGHT ON MAY 8-9, 1945. PRESIDENT TRUMAN ANNOUNCED THE ALLIED VICTORY IN EUROPE DAY (V-E DAY) ON MAY 8, 1945. HE PARTICIPATED IN THE NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE), AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 SILVER SERVICE STAR (5 CAMPAIGNS), WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH ‘GERMANY’ CLASP. HIS DIVISION RETURNED TO THE NEW YORK PORT ON JULY 20, 1945, AND WAS STATIONED AT CAMP SWIFT AT BASTROP, TEXAS, AWAITING POTENTIAL DEPLOYMENT TO THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER, WHEN THE JAPANESE UNCONDITIONALLY SURRENDERED. THE WAR FORMALLY ENDED ON SEPTEMBER 2, 1945, AND VICTORY OVER JAPAN DAY (V-J DAY) WAS PROCLAIMED BY PRESIDENT TRUMAN. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.