World War II Honoree

George Herman Couch

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Mableton, Georgia

Honored By

Jeffrey Couch

Relationship

Son

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS. ENLISTED IN THE ARMY THE DAY AFTER PEARL HARBOR WAS ATTACKED. RECEIVED HIS DISCHARGE THE DAY AFTER JAPAN SURRENDERED. AN INFANTRYMAN WITH COMPANY L, 127TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 32ND INFANTRY DIVISION (RED ARROW). SEVERELY WOUNDED DURING THE BATTLE OF BUNA, NEW GUINEA, DURING THE PAPUA CAMPAIGN. EVACUATED THROUGH DENSE JUNGLE TERRAIN BY PAPUAN LITTER BEARERS. SPENT SEVEN MONTHS RECOVERING FROM HIS WOUND IN AN AUSTRALIAN HOSPITAL BEFORE REJOINING HIS ORIGINAL UNIT. WENT ON TO PARTICIPATE IN THE NEW GUINEA AND SOUTHERN PHILIPPINE ISLANDS (LEYTE) CAMPAIGNS. AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, BRONZE STAR, PURPLE HEART, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH THREE BATTLE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION, AND PHILIPPINE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION.