World War II Honoree

John J. Ghezzi

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Albany, New York

Honored By

John P. Ghezzi

Relationship

Son

ENLISTED IN U.S. ARMY ON MARCH 13, 1942. REPORTED TO CAMP UPTON INDUCTION CENTER AND FROM THERE WENT TO CAMP SHELBY, MISSISSIPPI. ASSIGNED TO 28TH INFANTRY DIVISION ON MARCH 18, 1942. SERVED AS A COMBAT INFANTRYMAN IN 109TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, HEADQUARTERS COMPANY, 3RD BATTALION, AND EVENTUALLY ATTAINED THE RANK OF FIRST SERGEANT. WAS BATTALION CHEMICAL WARFARE NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER, RESPONSIBLE FOR CHEMICAL WARFARE INSTRUCTION AND TRAINING. FROM SEPTEMBER TO NOVEMBER, 1942, THE UNIT TOOK PART IN 3RD ARMY MANEUVERS IN LOUISIANA. JANUARY THROUGH MARCH, 1943, SPECIAL TRAINING IN AMPHIBIOUS WARFARE IN CARRABELLE, FLORIDA. AUGUST 1943, 2 MONTHS OF MOUNTAIN TRAINING IN WEST VIRGINIA. DEPLOYED TO ENGLAND ON OCTOBER 8, 1943 AND RECEIVED EXTENSIVE TRAINING IN WALES FOR 6 MONTHS AND ENGLAND FOR 3 MONTHS. ENTERED COMBAT ON JULY 22, 1944 AT NORMANDY. PARTICIPATED IN THE NORMANDY CAMPAIGN, HUERTGEN FOREST CAMPAIGN, COLMAR POCKET AND THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. AWARDED FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE FOR JANUARY 28 TO FEBRUARY 2, 1945 ACTION IN COLMAR, FRANCE PER FRENCH DECREE #565. LEFT EUROPE ON JULY 23, 1945 AND WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED AT FORT SHELBY, MISSISSIPPI, ON OCTOBER 11, 1945.