World War II Honoree

Russell E. Whitener

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Olathe, Colorado

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private. As a member of the Colorado Army National Guard, he was inducted into the United States Army September 16, 1940 at Fort Logan, Colorado. Following his Basic Military training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, he completed infantry training at Camp Barkeley, Texas. Along with any additional training, he was later deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. He served in Delta Company as a Rifleman, First Battalion, 157th Infantry Regiment and an element of Forty-Fifth Infantry ‘Thunderbird’ Division, attached to the U.S. Fifth Army. During, his tenure with 45th Division, he served in North Africa, Sicily, Battle-of-Anzio and with the Occupation Forces in Southern France. When the War ended in Europe Tuesday, May 8, 1945 he was sent home aboard the Queen Elizabeth Ship and Honorably Discharged in 1945. This American Patriot received the following decorations: Army Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal and the Combat Infantry Badge.