World War II Honoree

Elmo Wellington Cherry

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Bowling Green, Kentucky

Honored By

Ronald R. Cherry and Rick W. Cherry

Relationship

Sons

SERVED IN 213TH QUARTERMASTER CORPS ATTACHED TO 105TH INFANTRY, 27TH DIVISION. SERVED IN HAWAII, GUAM, SAIPAN AND TINIAN WHERE HE SET UP AND OPERATED BAKERIES. WAS INVOLVED IN COMBAT ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHEN ENEMY SOLDIERS INFILTRATED HIS POSITION AT NIGHT ATTEMPTING TO STEAL THE BREAD HE AND HIS SOLDIERS HAD BAKED. EARLY ON THE MORNING OF JULY 7, 1944 DURING BATTLE OF SAIPAN HIS POSITION AT THE 105TH COMMAND POST WAS THREATENED AND NEARLY OVERRUN BY A MASSIVE BANZAI CHARGE. OVER 4,000 ENEMY SOLDIERS OVERRAN THE TWO OUTPOSTS OF THE 105TH BEFORE ARRIVING AT THE INFANTRY COMMAND POST. ENGAGED THE ENEMY IN CLOSE QUARTERS COMBAT, HOLDING HIS POSITION AT THE 105TH HEADQUARTERS WHERE THE BANZAI CHARGE FINALLY ENDED. LATER SERVED AT THE ARMY AIR CORPS BASE ON TINIAN WHERE THE STRATEGIC CONVENTIONAL BOMBING CAMPAIGN OF JAPAN WAS CONDUCTED, WHERE B-29 BOMBERS INCLUDING THE ENOLA GAY WERE BASED, HELPING TO END THE WAR.