World War II Honoree

Raymond W. Perisin

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Chicago, Illinois

Honored By

Marla Perisin Leverich

Relationship

Daughter

ARMY INFANTRY SOLDIER, COMPANY B, 394TH REGIMENT, 99TH INFANTRY DIVISION. UNIT WAS PLACED ON THE FRONT, NEAR THE SIEGFRIED LINE SEPARATING BELGIUM FROM GERMANY, ON NOVEMBER 14, 1944. ON THE MORNING OF DECEMBER 16, 1944, THE FIRST DAY OF THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, THEIR RIFLE SQUAD WAS COMMITTED TO ENGAGE IN AN EXCHANGE OF SMALL ARMS FIRE WITH ADVANCING GERMAN GROUND TROOPS, AFTER WHICH, BEING OUT-GUNNED, THEIR ENTIRE RIFLE SQUAD WAS CAPTURED AND TAKEN PRISONERS OF WAR. DURING THE BRUTAL WINTER OF 1944 TO 1945, THE SOLDIERS WERE MARCHED BETWEEN POW CAMPS IN NURNBERG, HAMMELBURG AND MOOSBURG, SOMETIMES GOING WITHOUT FOOD OR WATER FOR TEN DAYS STRAIGHT. THEY SURVIVED GNAWING HUNGER, BITTER COLD, FILTHY LIVING CONDITIONS AND PERVASIVE SICKNESS UNTIL THEIR LIBERATION AT POW CAMP OF MOOSEBURG ON APRIL 29, 1945. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART AND THE BRONZE STAR.