World War II Honoree

Erle Cocke, Jr.

Hometown

Dawson, Georgia

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

Relationship

Relationship Not Determined

TRAINED INITIALLY IN THE AMERICAN THEATER FOR ENTRY-LEVEL ‘BASIC TRAINING’ AND THEN FOR ADVANCED MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY (MOS) QUALIFICATION. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER, IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO), DURING THE WAR. WOUNDED IN ACTION ON THREE OCCASIONS. TAKEN AS A PRISONER OF WAR (POW) BY THE GERMANS AND ESCAPED CAPTIVITY THREE TIMES. ON ONE OCCASION, HE WAS SHOT MULTIPLE TIMES AND LEFT FOR DEAD AMONG THE CORPSES OF HIS FELLOW SOLDIERS. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART WITH 2 BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, PRISONER OF WAR MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.