World War II Honoree

Charles Duke Dushane, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Honored By

Karen C. Dushane-Curry

Relationship

Daughter

ENTERED THE SERVICE IN SEPTEMBER 1940 AS A MEMBER OF THE OKLAHOMA NATIONAL GUARD AND WAS A MEMBER OF THE 45TH DIVISION WHEN IT WAS MOBILIZED. COMPLETED OFFICER TRAINING IN AUGUST 1942 AND WENT OVERSEAS IN OCTOBER 1942 WITH THE 9TH DIVISION. HE LOST HIS LIFE IN NORTH AFRICA ON NOVEMBER 8, 1942 WITH EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION AGAINST THE ARMED ENEMY. WITH HELP OF THREE ENLISTED MEN, HE ENTERED THE LIGHTHOUSE ON THE KASBA-MEHDIA AFTER CROSSING ENEMY BARBED WIRE ENTANGLEMENTS WHILE UNDER HEAVY ENEMY SMALL ARMS FIRE AND CAPTURED 12 HOSTILE TROOPS WHO WERE USING MACHINE GUNS AND RIFLES. THIS ENABLED OUR TROOPS TO TAKE THE STRATEGIC POSITION COMMANDED BY THE LIGHTHOUSE. HE LATER DEMONSTRATED COOLNESS AND BRAVERY BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY WHEN UPON THE WITHDRAWAL OF OUR TROOPS FROM THE NATIVE VILLAGE, HE AND CORPORAL FRANK L. CZAR MANNED AN ENEMY ANTI-TANK GUN IN FULL VIEW OF THE ENEMY. PART OF THE BREECH OF THE GUN HAD BEEN REMOVED AND HE WAS ABLE TO FIRE THE GUN ONLY BY FIRING BULLETS FROM HIS SUB-MACHINE GUN INTO THE BASE OF THE ANTI-TANK SHELL. MEANWHILE CORPORAL CZAR AIMED THE GUN. IN THIS MANNER HE DESTROYED ONE ENEMY TANK AND DELAYED THE ENEMY ATTACK. IT WAS WHILE OPERATING THIS GUN THAT HE LOST HIS LIFE.