World War II Honoree

Harold Dwight Myers

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Hannibal, Missouri

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE IN 1944. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER WITH THE 77TH INFANTRY 'STATUE OF LIBERTY' DIVISION DURING THE WAR. PARTICIPATED IN THE RYUKYUS CAMPAIGN. HIS DIVISION ASSAULTED A NUMBER OF RYUKYUS ISLANDS IN THE KERAMA ISLANDS FROM MARCH 26-31, 1945, IN PREPARATION FOR THE BATTLE FOR OKINAWA. LANDED ON IE SHIMA ISLAND, OKINAWA ON APRIL 16-17, 1945, IN THE RYUKYUS ISLANDS. THERE, FOUGHT PAST GOVERNMENT HOUSE HILL AND IEGUSUGU MOUNTAIN TO CLEAR THE ISLAND BY APRIL 21, 1945. THE DIVISION LANDED ON OKINAWA IN THE RYUKYUS ON APRIL 27, 1945, AND PRESSED FORWARD TOWARD SHURI AND YONABARU. IT TOOK 3 HILLS EAST OF SHURI, BATTLED PAST HUNDRED-METER HILL ON MAY 30, 1945, AND PUSHED INTO THE RUINS OF SHURI ON MAY 31, 1945. IN JUNE, 1945, HIS UNIT MOPPED UP THE SHURI REGION INCLUDING SEALING JAPANESE CAVE POSITIONS, AND PATROLLING. HIS DIVISION BEGAN SHIPPING OUT OF OKINAWA ON JUNE 27, 1945, BOUND FOR CEBU ISLAND IN THE PHILIPPINES. ARRIVED AT CEBU ISLAND ABOUT JULY 11, 1945, AND WAS ENGAGED IN CONSTRUCTION AND REHABILITATION ACTIVITIES NEAR DANAO, ON THE EASTERN COAST, UNTIL THE END OF THE WAR. HIS UNIT WAS LOCATED AT CEBU ISLAND ON AUGUST 14, 1945, WHEN THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED THE ALLIED UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER TERMS. WORLD WAR II FORMALLY ENDED ON SEPTEMBER 2, 1945, AND VICTORY OVER JAPAN DAY (V-J DAY) WAS PROCLAIMED. HIS DIVISION WAS DESIGNATED FOR POST-WAR OCCUPATION DUTY, AND ARRIVED IN JAPAN ON OCTOBER 5, 1945. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 BRONZE SERVICE STAR (1 CAMPAIGN), WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH ‘JAPAN’ CLASP. ALSO AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL FOR SERVICE IN THE LIBERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.