Friday, May 25, 2018

A Few Of The Crittenden County Heroes from the 83rd Division of the US Army, WWII

Remembering some of our Crittenden County Fallen Heroes from World War II.

 They gave their young lives for the freedom we have today.  May they never be forgotten.

The 83rd division began its training at Camp Atterbury, Indiana in 1942 where it was the first division to open this camp. In July and August 1943 it participated in Second Army maneuvers in Tennessee and in spite of being the “youngest” division taking part in the maneuvers proved itself a tough, aggressive outfit. In September 1943 the division moved to Camp Breckenridge, Kentucky and trained there for the remainder of the year and for the first two months in 1944.
The 83rd departed the United States for foreign duty on April 6, 1944. They arrived in England on April 16, 1944. After intensive training in England and in the northern part of Wales, the Division landed at Omaha Beach, June 18, 1944, and entered the hedgerow struggle south of Carenta on June 27th


 

Feb. 8, 1945 – Information has been received that Pfc. Forrest Eugene Brantley, 32, of Repton was killed in action on Jan. 13th. He was serving with the 83rd Division in Belguim. Sgt. Brantley had been wounded on July 11th, in the invasion of Normandy and had been back on duty only three weeks when killed. 

 He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Eula Brantley. His wife, the former Miss Ruth Hubbard of Shady Grove, lives in Washington, D. C. His body was returned to US under the WWII dead program from Belguim. Sgt. Brantley is buried is the Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.




 July 16, 1948 – Memorial services were held at Seven Springs Baptist Church for Pfc. Degarth Hall, July 8th. Degarth was the son of Mrs. Jennie Hall of Dycusburg, Ky.

 He was captured in France July 4, 1944 and died in prison camp July 6, 1944. He was brought to his home July 7, 1948, and was buried in Dycusburg Cemetery beside his father, Mr. Ed Hall. The memorial address was given by an Army Chaplin from Camp Campbell, Ky. Pfc. Hall was in Co F 83rd Inf.






  PFC Guy Edward Hodge, son Guy and Stella Thomas Hodge was born July 16, 1922 and was killed in action in France on July 4, 1944. 
 He was a member of the 331 Infantry 83rd Division. Pfc.

 Hodge is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, Department du Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France.





 August 18, 1944 – Pfc. Victor Hershel Orr, was killed in action in France July 10, according to War Department telegram last Saturday to his father, Albert Orr. Pfc. Orr was a member of the 83rd Division, he arrived in England three months ago. After entering service Oct. 24, 1942, he received training at camps in Indiana and Tennessee before assignment to Camp Breckenridge. 

 He graduated from Marion High School in 1942.

 He was the son of Albert and Myrtle Edwards Orr. PFC Orr was buried in Normandy France, in the St. Laurent Cemetery.

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