Day to honor World War II veterans Haralson County, Georgia - Historic Courthouse 20 January 2006

Private First Class Jasper Smith receiving medal from ex-Sheriff Ronnie Kimball; Major Hickman at left and Sargeant Cash at right 8th Infantry Division (Pathfinder Division) These Are My Credentials 121st Infantry Regiment The Old Gray Bonnet

Staff Sargeant Lee Brooke receiving medal from ex-Sheriff Ronnie Kimball; Major Hickman at right 2nd Infantry Division (Warrior Division) Second To None 38th Infantry Regiment The Rock Of The Marne

After training in Ireland the 8th Infantry Division landed on Utah Beach, Normandy, 4 July 1944, and entered combat on the 7th. Fighting through the hedgerows, it crossed the Ay River, 26 July, pushed through Rennes, 8 August, and attacked Brest in September. The Crozon Peninsula was cleared, 19 September, and the Division drove across France to Luxembourg, moved to the Hurtgen Forest, 20 November, cleared Hurtgen on the 28th and Brandenburg, 3 December, and pushed on to the Roer. That river was crossed on 23 February 1945, Duren taken on the 25th and the Erft Canal crossed on the 28th. The 8th reached the Rhine near Rodenkirchen, 7 March, and maintained positions along the river near Koln. On 6 April the Division attacked northwest to aid in the destruction of enemy forces in the Ruhr Pocket, and by the 17th had completed its mission. After security duty, the Division, under operational control of the British Second Army, drove across the Elbe, 1 May, and penetrated to Schwerin when the war in Europe ended.

After training in Ireland and Wales from October 1943 to June 1944, the 2d Infantry Division crossed the channel to land on Omaha Beach on D plus 1, 7 June 1944, near St. Laurent-sur-Mer. Attacking across the Aure River, the Division liberated Trevieres, 10 June, and proceeded to assault and secure Hill 192, the key enemy strongpoint on the road to St. L�. With the hill taken 11 July 1944, the Division went on the defensive until 26 July. Exploiting the St. L� break-through, the 2d Division advanced across the Vire to take Tinchebray 15 August 1944. The Division then moved west to join the battle for Brest, the heavily defended fortress surrendering 18 September 1944 after a 39-day contest.

The Division took a brief rest 19�26 September before moving to defensive positions at St. Vith, Belgium on September 29, 1944. The division entered Germany on October 3, 1944, and the Second was ordered, on 11 December, 1944, to attack and seize the Roer River dams. The German Ardennes offensive in mid-December forced the Division to withdraw to defensive positions near Elsenborn, where the German drive was halted. In February 1945 the Division attacked, recapturing lost ground, and seized Gemund, 4 March. Reaching the Rhine 9 March, the 2d advanced south to take Breisig, 10�11 March, and to guard the Remagen bridge, 12�20 March.

The Division crossed the Rhine 21 March and advanced to Hadamar and Limburg an der Lahn, relieving elements of the 9th Armored Division, 28 March. Advancing rapidly in the wake of the 9th Armored, the 2d Division crossed the Weser at Veckerhagen, 6�7 April, captured G�ttingen 8 April, established a bridgehead across the Saale, 14 April, seizing Merseburg on the 15th. On the 18th the Division took Leipzig, mopped up in the area, and outposted the Mulde River; elements which had crossed the river were withdrawn 24 April. Relieved on the Mulde, the 2d moved 200 miles, 1�3 May, to positions along the German-Czech border near Schonsee and Waldmunchen, where 2 ID relieved the 97th and 99th ID's. The division crossed over to Czechoslovakia on May 4, 1945, and attacked in the general direction of Pilsen, attacking that city on VE Day.

Haralson County Commission Chairman Allen Poole
Haralson County Commissioner Sammy Robinson
Buchanan Mayor Jason Jarrell

Haralson County Commission Chairman Allen Poole

Haralson County High School ROTC color guard

Assembly music
"National Emblem" (2:51) (played repeatedly)

Invocation prayer by Haralson County
Commission Chairman Allen Poole

Haralson County High School
ROTC color guard presents the flag
"To The Colors" (0:34)

Call to recite "The Pledge of Allegiance"

U.S. national anthem
"The Star-Spangled Banner" (2:35)

U.S. Army anthem
"The Army Goes Rolling Along" (sung - 0:38)

Benjamin "Buster" Biggers,
DAV chapter 21 facilities philanthropist,
talks about veterans of earlier wars

"Taps" (0:57)

Presentation of D-Day Commemorative Medal
to Staff Sargeant Lee Brooke
C Company, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Divsion
by former Haralson County Sheriff Ronnie Kimball

Presentation of World War II Commemorative Victory Medal
to Private First Class Jasper Smith
L Company, 121st Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division
by former Haralson County Sheriff Ronnie Kimball

Family members join those honored on stage

Retirement hymn
"Old Soldiers Never Die" (0:51)

Haralson County High School
ROTC saber team salutes the veterans

U.S. Army anthem
"The Army Goes Rolling Along" (1:04)

Informal post-ceremony reception

Recessional music
"Retreat" (0:22)
"Lights Out" (2:44) (played repeatedly)