World War II Honoree

Edward Ambrose White

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Peoria, Illinois

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AND WAS PROMPTLY SENT TO CAMP WALLACE, TEXAS FOR TRAINING IN AIR DEFENSE ARTILLERY. AFTER BASIC TRAINING, HE SCORED SO WELL ON THE ARMED FORCES APTITUDE TEST THAT HE HAD HIS CHOICE OF PILOT TRAINING OR ENGINEERING UNDER THE ARMY SPECIALIZED TRAINING PROGRAM (ASTP). HE CHOSE ENGINEERING AND WAS SENT TO THE CITADEL IN CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA WHERE HE SPENT SEPTEMBER 1943 TO MARCH 1944. IN THE SPRING OF 1944, THE ARMY ABANDONED THE ARMY SPECIALIZED TRAINING PROGRAM (ASTP) AND HE WAS BACK IN THE MANPOWER POOL ONCE AGAIN. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 100TH DIVISION AND TRAINED BRIEFLY AT FORT BENNING, GEORGIA, AND THEN WENT TO FORT SILL, OKLAHOMA, WHERE HE WAS ASSIGNED TO A UNIT TESTING THE THEN-SECRET PROXIMITY FUSE ON AMMUNITION FOR THE 155MM HOWITZER. HE FOUGHT IN EUROPE AND WAS PART OF THE OCCUPATION FORCES IN GERMANY.