World War II Honoree

Donald Thomas 'Don' Aycock

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Arapahoe, Cheyenne County, Colorado

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

Relationship

Relationship Not Determined

DRAFTED INTO MILITARY SERVICE IN 1942. RECEIVED MILITARY TRAINING AT FORT SILL AT LAWTON, OKLAHOMA IN THE AMERICAN THEATER. STATIONED AT FORT SILL WITH THE 18TH FIELD ARTILLERY REGIMENT (COMPOSITE SCHOOL TROOPS) WHICH WAS THE ARTILLERY DEMONSTRATION REGIMENT ASSIGNED TO THE REPLACEMENT AND SCHOOL COMMAND. THE REGIMENT WAS REDESIGNATED HEADQUARTERS AND HEADQUARTERS BATTERY (HHB), 18TH FIELD ARTILLERY GROUP ON FEBRUARY 8, 1943, REORGANIZED AND REDESIGNATED AS THE 685TH FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION ON MARCH 1, 1943, AND REDESIGNATED THE 18TH FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION ON AUGUST 9, 1943. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) WITH HEADQUARTERS BATTERY, 18TH FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION, A NON-DIVISIONAL 105MM (LIGHT) TOWED HOWITZER UNIT. THE BATTALION DEPARTED THE NEW YORK PORT OF EMBARKATION ON FEBRUARY 11, 1944, ARRIVED IN ENGLAND ON FEBRUARY 23, 1944, AND LANDED AT UTAH BEACH IN NORMANDY, FRANCE ON JULY 6, 1944, AFTER THE D-DAY INVASION ON JUNE 6, 1944. PARTICIPATED IN THE NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE), AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. HIS BATTALION RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES AND WAS INACTIVATED AT CAMP KILMER AT STELTON, NEW JERSEY ON MARCH 3 1946. AWARDED THE 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. AUTHORIZED THE FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH GOLD STAR FOR ACTIONS BY HIS BATTALION AT MONS, BELGIUM. ALSO AUTHORIZED THE BELGIAN FOURRAGERE 1940, FOR HIS BATTALION BEING CITED TWICE IN THE ORDER OF THE DAY OF THE BELGIAN ARMY FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY IN COMBAT AT MONS AND AGAIN IN THE ARDENNES IN BELGIUM.