World War II Honoree

George J. Migl

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Flatonia, Texas

Honored By

John C. Burkhardt, SVC MOPH, Chapter 1919, Austin, Texas

NOVEMBER 1942, DRAFTED INTO THE ARMY AND SENT TO CAMP HOWZE NEAR GAINESVILLE, TEXAS. AFTER TRAINING HE WAS ASSIGNED TO AN ANTI-TANK COMPANY, 335TH INFANTRY, 84TH INFANTRY DIVISION (RAIL-SPLITTERS). HE WAS INVOLVED IN THE ARMY SPORTS PROGRAM AS A BOXER AND TURNED DOWN REASSIGNMENT TO SPECIAL SERVICES SO HE COULD STAY WITH HIS UNIT. IN SEPTEMBER 1944 THEY WERE SHIPPED TO ENGLAND. AFTER THREE WEEKS IN ENGLAND THE DIVISION WAS MOVED TO FRANCE, FIRST SEEING ACTION IN AACHEN, GERMANY ON NOVEMBER 11, 1944. THE 37MM ANTI-TANK GUNS HE TRAINED ON WERE INEFFECTIVE AGAINST THE GERMAN ARMOR. SOON THEY WERE RE-EQUIPPED WITH 105MM GUNS. THE 84TH INFANTRY WAS DISPATCHED TO BELGIUM TO FIGHT IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. HE SUFFERED FROSTBITE, BUT WAS SOON BACK TO DUTY. ON MARCH 2, 1945, HE WAS SEVERELY WOUNDED BY MORTAR SHELL FRAGMENTS, WHILE FIGHTING IN DULKEN, GERMANY. HE WAS TREATED IN THE FIELD HOSPITAL IN LIEGE, BELGIUM AND LATER MEDICALLY EVACUATED TO LEMANS, FRANCE. SOON THE WAR IN EUROPE ENDED AND THE 84TH INFANTRY DIVISION WAS DESIGNATED TO TRANSFER TO THE PACIFIC CAMPAIGN, FOR THE INVASION OF JAPAN. BEFORE HE COULD RE-JOIN HIS UNIT THE WAR IN THE PACIFIC WAS OVER. HE WAS SENT HOME ON POINTS WITH THE 36TH INFANTRY DIVISION AND WAS DISCHARGED IN DECEMBER 1945.