World War II Honoree

Donnaly Woodruff Palmer

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Honored By

Donnally Palmer

DRAFTED SEPTEMBER 18, 1941. BASIC TRAINING IN AN INTELLIGENCE COMPANY AT CAMP ROBERTS, CALIFORNIA. AFTER THE DECLARATION OF WAR, TRANSFERRED TO THE SIGNAL CORPS AT CAMP HAAN, CALIFORNIA. SHIPPED OUT OF NEW YORK FOR THE BRITISH ISLES ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1942 ON THE QUEEN MARY. ON THAT TRIP, THE QUEEN MARY STRUCK AND CUT IN HALF AN ESCORTING BRITISH NAVAL SHIP, THE CARACOA. HE TRAVELED ON THE SHIP BATORY FOR THE INVASION NEAR ORAN, ALGERIA. HE LATER FLEW TO TELERGHMA, ALGERIA AFTER BECOMING STAFF SERGEANT IN CHARGE OF BATTALION SUPPLIES FOR THE 561ST SIGNAL AIR WARNING BATTALION. ON JULY 14, 1943, WADED ASHORE FROM AN LCI IN THE INVASION AT GELA, ITALY. NEXT, IN EARLY SEPTEMBER 1943, HE WAS PART OF THE INVASION AT SALERNO, ITALY. THE BATTALION BECAME THE 2691ST PROVISIONAL MOBILE SIGNAL AIRCRAFT WARNING BATTALION AND LATER THE 582ND SIGNAL AIRCRAFT WARNING BATTALION. THE BATTALION GRADUALLY MOVED UP THE BOOT OF ITALY TO FRATTAMAGGIORE, NORTH OF NAPLES. HE WAS ABLE TO VISIT ROME, CAPRI, POMPEI AND SORENTO. LANDED IN SOUTHERN FRANCE TWO DAYS AFTER THE INITIAL INVASION. HE TRAVELED NORTH TO WITHIN A FEW MILES OF GERMANY WHEN HE WAS ALERTED THAT HE WAS TO RETURN TO THE STATES AS DETERMINED BY OVERSEAS AND CAMPAIGN POINTS. HE RECEIVED AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE SEPTEMBER 16, 1945.