World War II Honoree

Harold Thomas Garvin

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Duncan, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

FOLLOWING HIS GRADUATION FROM THE OKLAHOMA SCHOOL OF LAW IN NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, HE ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE AND WAS COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT. HIS BATTALION SAILED FROM THE BOSTON PORT OF EMBARKATION ON JULY 2, 1944, AND ARRIVED IN ENGLAND ON JULY 9, 1944. HE SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER, IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO), WITH THE FIELD ARTILLERY. ASSIGNED AS A FORWARD OBSERVER WITH BATTERY B, 176TH FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION (A NON-DIVISIONAL UNIT). HIS BATTALION ENTERED COMBAT ON AUGUST 17, 1944, WHEN IT LANDED IN FRANCE. PARTICIPATED IN THE NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE), AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. ON APRIL 4, 1945, WHEN AN ENEMY PATROL ATTACKED A FRIENDLY ANTIAIRCRAFT ARTILLERY POSITION NEAR SCHIERSCHWENDE, SOUTHEAST OF KASSEL, GERMANY, HE WENT TO AID SEVERAL WOUNDED SOLDIERS. HE MOVED OVER OPEN TERRAIN, IN THE FACE OF FIERCE ENEMY AUTOMATIC WEAPONS AND SMALL ARMS FIRE. THE MEN WERE UNABLE TO WALK, SO HE ADMINISTERED FIRST AID AND THEN CARRIED THEM TO SAFETY. WHEN THE WAR IN EUROPE ENDED ON MAY 8, 1945, HE VOLUNTEERED FOR ARMY ARTILLERY PILOT TRAINING AND WAS RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES. HE EARNED HIS ARMY AVIATOR RATING AS A FIRST LIEUTENANT BY THE TIME HE SEPARATED FROM SERVICE. AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL WITH BRONZE LETTER 'V' (FOR VALOR), AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 4 BRONZE SERVICE STARS (4 CAMPAIGNS), WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH ‘GERMANY’ CLASP. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN MAY, 1946, WITH THE RANK OF FIRST LIEUTENANT, AND WAS ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.