World War II Honoree

William C. H. Needham

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Gallapolis, Ohio

Honored By

Robin P. Needham

Relationship

Son

WAS COMMISSIONED THROUGH THE ARMY ROTC AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND AND WAS CALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY AS A 1ST LIEUTENANT, U.S. ARMY (INFANTRY) ON SEPTEMBER 29, 1942. HE WAS FIRST ASSIGNED AS ASSISTANT G2 AND PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER AT HEADQUARTERS, 2ND ARMORED CORPS IN SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA. IN MAY 1943, HE WAS PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN AND TRANSFERRED TO HEADQUARTERS, ARMORED FORCE (LATER RENAMED ARMORED COMMAND) AT FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY, THE FOCUS OF ALL TANK WARFARE TRAINING AND PLANNING. HIS ASSIGNMENT WAS AS PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER. IN DECEMBER 1943, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO FORT DUPONT AS ASSISTANT TO THE ASSISTANT CHIEF OF STAFF G2 FOR THE 13TH CORPS. FOR SEVERAL WEEKS DURING DECEMBER 1943 AND JANUARY 1944, HE WAS TEMPORARILY ASSIGNED AS PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER FOR THE N&W RAILROAD DURING THE TIME THAT PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT ORDERED THE U.S. ARMY TO TAKE POSSESSION OF ALL RAILROADS TO PREVENT A THREATENED STRIKE. IN MAY 1944 HE WAS APPOINTED AS AIDE-DE-CAMP TO MAJOR GENERAL A. C. GILLEM, COMMANDING GENERAL, 13TH CORPS AND BY JULY WAS EN ROUTE TO SCOTLAND AND ENGLAND. ON SEPTEMBER 26, 1944, THE CORPS LEFT ENGLAND FOR OMAHA BEACH, FRANCE. THE CORPS MOVED THROUGH FRANCE, BELGIUM, AND HOLLAND AND BY EARLY MARCH CROSSED INTO GERMANY. ITS UNITS WERE THE FIRST TO REACH THE RHINE RIVER AND WERE AMONG THE FIRST TO REACH THE ELBE RIVER. BY V-E DAY ON MARCH 8, 1945, THE CORPS HAD COMPLETED 180 DAYS OF CONTINUOUS COMBAT OPERATIONS. WAS AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL (FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE IN CONNECTION WITH MILITARY OPERATIONS AGAINST THE ENEMY IN HOLLAND AND GERMANY FROM NOVEMBER 8, 1944 TO MAY 7, 1945). ON JUNE 1, HE WAS PROMOTED TO MAJOR. THE CORPS WAS RETURNED TO THE U.S. IN EXPECTATION OF BEING TRANSFERRED TO THE PACIFIC THEATER. IN AUGUST 1945, WAS ASSIGNED TO HEADQUARTERS 7TH CORPS AT FORT ORD, CALIFORNIA. DISCHARGED FROM ACTIVE DUTY NOVEMBER 2, 1945.