World War II Illinois Veterans Memorial

I received the Europe-Africa-Mideast Theater Ribbon, the Asiatic Pacific Ribbon, the Philippine Liberation Medal, the American Theater, WW II Victory Medal and Two Bronze Stars.

Nearly 987,000 men and women from Illinois served in World War II. It was not entirely uncommon for multiple members of the same family to be serving our country at the same time. The following story about a family from a small community in southeastern Illinois is an incredible example of going “All Out for Victory”.

(more…)

Hometown: Norwood Park Township, IL
Albert served in the Army from April 18, 1941 to November 18, 1945. Originally, Albert served in the United States. However, when it began to look like Germany would lose the war, Albert was sent to Europe to be a truck driver. He transported officers in Germany, […]

Jack Armstrong joined the U.S. Army at East Saint Louis, Illinois. He attained the rank of Private 1st Class and served as an ambulance driver in Europe. He was assigned to Clearing Station to the Evacuation Hospital. He served in Northern France, the Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns. Jack was awarded three […]

Leonard A. Baer joined the U.S. Army from his hometown of Melrose Park, Illinois. He served in Europe with Company D, 34th Tank Battalion, 5th Armored Division.
Leonard Baer
Melrose Park, IL

He was assigned to the 81st Wildcat Infantry Division that was headquartered at Camp Jackson, South Carolina. Bill Baise was born in December, 1924 at Columbia, Kentucky and entered service there as a young man. He remembers especially the battle of Peleliu in the South Pacific.

I was inducted into service on January 25, 1943 at Scott Field, Illinois. From there I was sent to Camp Grant, Illinois where I took medical training. After basic, I was sent to Charleston, South Carolina where I joined a Port-Head Quarters, 15th Mobil T. C. This was a section of the Army that had every branch of the service which in turn made sure the material reached our men.

Richard Breeden – 78th Lightning Division
Place of Entry: Scott Field, Illinois
309th Armor Service Infantry
Grade: Tech 5
Battles & Campaigns: Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, Central Europe
Decorations & Citations: Victory Medal; American Theater Ribbon; European, African, Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon; 4 Bronze Battle Bars; 3 Overseas Service Bars; and a Good Conduct Metal
I was inducted into the army […]

Olyn A. Brockmeyer was born June 13, 1921 in Harvel, Illinois, the son of William and Edna (Wagehoft) Brockmeyer. Olyn entered the U.S. Army in 1942 in Peoria, Illinois, received basic training at Ft. Lewis in Washington, and served in Company K, 123rd Infantry, 33rd Division in the South Pacific. He was a light machine […]

We left for the Pacific Theater of war in July, 1944 and served in four campaigns in the Pacific Islands of Ulithi, Anguar, Peleliu and Leyte.