World War II Honoree

Robert F. Wehrkamp

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Honored By

Paul & Karen Larson, Marget, Ben & Joe

Relationship

Son-in-law, Daughter, grandchildren

INDUCTED AT FORT CROOK, NEBRASKA ON AUGUST 18, 1942. ASSIGNED TO D COMPANY, CAMP ROBINSON; ARKANSAS FOR BASIC TRAINING BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 1, 1942. EMBARKED FROM FORT SLOCUM, NEW YORK IN OCTOBER 1942 FOR MORE THAN A 30 DAY VOYAGE TO REYKJAVIK, ICELAND WHERE HE WAS ATTACHED TO A MEDICAL DETACHMENT OF THE 10TH INFANTRY REGIMENT. SERVED AS A MEDICAL CORPSMAN THROUGHOUT HIS WWII EXPERIENCE. FROM JULY 28, 1943 TO OCTOBER 15, 1943 TECHNICIAN 3RD CLASS (SSG) HE WAS STATIONED IN TIDWORTH, ENGLAND AFTER WHICH HE SPENT SEVERAL MONTHS IN NEW CASTLE, IRELAND. JULY 8, 1944 HE LANDED AT UTAH BEACH AND FOUGHT WITH THE 5TH INFANTRY DIVISION, 3RD ARMY ACROSS FRANCE AND GERMANY. HE FIRST SAW COMBAT FIGHTING FOR HILL 183 ST. LO, FRANCE ON JULY 27, 1944. HE FOUGHT THROUGH ANGERS, CHARTRES, REIMS AND VERDUN. SEPTEMBER 10, 1944 WHILE CROSSING THE MOSELLE RIVER, HE WAS WOUNDED AND SENT TO A FIELD HOSPITAL TO RECUPERATE. BY NOVEMBER 20TH. HE WAS BACK WITH THE UNIT AS IT FINISHED ITS MARCH ACROSS FRANCE AND ON DECEMBER 9TH SAW ACTION NEAR LUDWEILER, GERMANY. AFTER HE AND HIS UNIT SAW VICTORY IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, THEY CONTINUED ON THROUGH GERMANY CROSSING THE RHINE ON MARCH 22, 1945. ON MARCH 28, 1945 HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE 217TH GENERAL HOSPITAL IN PARIS AND REMAINED THERE UNTIL BOARDING THE JOHN P. MITCHELL FOR HIS RETURN TO THE U.S. HE DEBARKED THE MITCHELL ON NOVEMBER 23RD AND WAS DISCHARGED AT CAMP MCCOY, WISCONSIN ON NOVEMBER 25, 1945.