World War II Honoree

Jack R. Hilbrich

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Hammond, Indiana

REACHED HIS 18TH BIRTHDAY IN JUNE 1943 AND RECEIVED NOTICE OF HIS SELECTION BY THE LOCAL SELECTIVE SERVICE BOARD FOR INDUCTION INTO THE U.S. ARMY. HE WAS MADE AN ACTING CORPORAL TO LEAD HIS GROUP OF DRAFTEES TO FORT BENJAMIN HARRISON IN INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, FOR FORMAL INDUCTION AND ASSIGNMENT TO A BASIC TRAINING CAMP. IN THE SPRING OF 1944, HE TRAVELED TO ENGLAND ON THE USS WAKEFIELD AP-21 WITH THOUSANDS OF REPLACEMENT TROOPS FOR MORE TRAINING AND SUBSEQUENTLY TRAVELED ACROSS THE ENGLISH CHANNEL TO OMAHA BEACH AT NORMANDY, FRANCE AS A REPLACEMENT. ASSIGNED TO AND SERVED WITH THE 44TH INFANTRY DIVISION, 71ST INFANTRY REGIMENT, 1ST BATTALION, C COMPANY AND HEADQUARTERS COMPANY, EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN. THE 44TH INFANTRY DIVISION PARTICIPATED IN 4 BATTLES: NORTHERN FRANCE, CENTRAL EUROPE, RHINELAND AND ARDENNES-ALSACE. AS A PRIVATE, HE RECEIVED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, BRONZE STAR MEDAL FOR MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT IN GROUND OPERATIONS AGAINST THE ENEMY, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 3 BATTLE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH GERMANY CLASP, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE MEDAL (GIVEN BY THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT TO ALL ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCES THAT HELPED LIBERATE FRANCE FROM GERMANY), MARKSMAN M-1 GARAND AND CARBINE MEDAL, HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL KNOWN AS THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL AND 2 OVERSEAS BARS. RECEIVED HIS BASIC TRAINING AT FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, WHERE THE 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION WAS TRAINING FOR THE INVASION OF EUROPE. THERE NEVER HAD BEEN A MILITARY OPERATION REMOTELY APPROACHING THE SCALE AND COMPLEXITY OF THE D-DAY INVASION OF EUROPE AT NORMANDY, FRANCE ON JUNE 6, 1944. THE 44TH INFANTRY DIVISION HAD AT ONE POINT BEEN FIGHTING ON LINE WITHOUT RELIEF F0R 144 CONSECUTIVE DAYS, UNTIL RELIEVED BY THE 3RD INFANTRY DIVISION. RECEIVED COMMENDATIONS FROM THE 7TH ARMY HEADQUARTERS AND THE 6TH ARMY GROUP. THE 3RD BATTALION, 71ST INFANTRY REGIMENT RECEIVED A PRESIDENTIAL CITATION. THE ARDENNES CAMPAIGN, ALSO KNOWN AS THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, WAS THE TURNING BACK OF THE LAST MAJOR OFFENSIVE BY THE GERMAN ARMY IN WWII. IT BEGAN DECEMBER 16, 1944 AND ENDED JANUARY 25, 1945. THE WAR ENDED IN EUROPE FOR THE 44TH DIVISION WHEN, AFTER FIERCE FIGHTING IN THE SNOWY ALPS AND LINKING UP WITH THE 10TH MOUNTAIN DIVISION OF THE U.S. 5TH ARMY AT THE ITALIAN BORDER IN THE ALPS, THEY CAUSED THE 19TH GERMAN ARMY TO SURRENDER ON MAY 5, 1945. ON JUNE 12, 1945, THE 44TH DIVISION WAS ORDERED BACK TO THE U.S. VIA THE HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH (A FORMER LUXURY LINER MADE INTO A TROOP SHIP) TO RE-ARM AND RE-OUTFIT FOR EMBARKATION TO THE SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS TO PREPARE FOR THE INVASION OF JAPAN, BECAUSE THE WAR IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER WAS STILL BEING FOUGHT. WHILE THE TROOPS OF THE 44TH INFANTRY DIVISION WERE AT CAMP CHAFFEE IN ARKANSAS, TRAINING AND REGROUPING, THE WAR ENDED IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER WHEN IN AUGUST 1945 THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES DROPPED THE ATOM BOMB ON HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI, JAPAN. THE TROOPS OF THE 44TH DIVISION WERE DISCHARGED OR SENT TO OTHER CAMPS TO BE DISCHARGED NEAR THEIR HOMES. THEN A PRIVATE FIRST CLASS, HE WAS SENT TO CAMP ATTERBURY, INDIANA TO AWAIT DISCHARGE.