World War II Honoree

Gerald Mack Anderson

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Oakford, Illinois

Honored By

Pearl Thomas

Relationship

A Grateful American

He was drafted in January of 1943 and in July of 1943, he arrived in Casablanca, :North Africa and was assigned to the First Infantry Division to the demolition squad and fought in Sicily after joining the the Big Red One. On June 6, 1944, his unit boarded the Higgins boats and stormed Omaha Beach. After being wounded in France, he rejoined his platoon that successfully held the northern flank in the Battle of the Bulge where he was wounded a second time. He stayed with his unit until shortly after V-E day; he was discharged in 1945. Received 2 Bronze Stars, 2 Purple Hearts, Bronze Service Arrowhead and Legion of Merit from France.