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Lee Garrett
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Lee M. Garrett served with the First Army, 3rd Armored Division, 32nd Armored Regiment, Company D, 2nd Platoon, Combat Command A during World War II from the landing at Normandy in June, 1944 to the surrender of Germany in 1945.
My father joined the Army on November 4, 1941 and was sent to Fort Polk, LA to begin his training. From the way he spoke of it in later years, he had many pleasant memories while being stationed there and often wished to re-vist someday but he never did. He passed away in 1972.
My father rarely spoke of what happened during his service in the war but occasionally he would mention a place such as: St. Lo, Normandy, Mons, the Ardennes and the Seigfried Line. I recall he said that the Christmas he spent in the war at the Battle of the Bulge he and everyone in his tank had only one can of frozen green beans to split between them for their Christmas meal. He lost many friends and tank buddies during his service and he said he was blown out of or escaped from several tanks that were hit. He received a Purple Heart for an injury in Belgium on January 15, 1945. He spoke of a time (this may have led to his hospitalization) when he was blown out of a tank and he thought he had been laying in the snow for several days and had frost bite on his toes, fingers, ears and nose in addition to shrapnel wounds. He returned to duty January 23, 1945 after he was dismissed from the hospital. He was discharged from the Army on September 27, 1945.
Among other things he brought home a ring with the word Westwall on it. I didnt realize what that meant or the significance until I started doing this research. For his service he received a Purple Heart, Good Conduct medal, American Defense Service medal, American Campaign medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign medal with 5 bronze battle campaign stars for all of 3AD's major campaigns, WWII Victory medal, Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII, Army of Occupation medal with Germany clasp, Expert Shooting Badge with auto rifle, rifle, bazooka, pistol, tank weapon and pistol-D bars and Sharpshooter Badges with field arty, grenade and M-16 bars and at least one commendation for his team placing 4th out of 21 competing teams in a machine gun competition. He was an excellent marksman and later enjoyed hunting as a pastime. I never knew anyone who didnt immediately like my father and he was a friendly and fun-loving person. After living through the nightmare that was being part of the Spearhead I consider it remarkable that he was not scarred permanently but he was a survivor in the truest sense of the word.
You are forever in our hearts Dad.
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