Todays Veteran that we are looking for a photograph of is Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2) Richard Vern Halsey W2144497 enlisted service number 359050342 US Army. He was born on October 31, 1920, in Allison Iowa, he was the son of Robert Vern Halsey, and Pearl Frances Lanman Halsey in 1929 his family moved to Olney Illinois, and he attended Olney schools, He married to Nellouise “Nell” L Meredith on June 12, 1943, and they had 1 son in 1944. In January 1938 he joined the CCC at the age of 17. He entered the US Army on Feb 12, 1941, at the age of 20. At the time of his enlistment he was 5 foot 6 inches tall weighed 165 pounds had brown hair and gray eyes.
He was Stationed at the Base General Depot in Cajon Pass, he was transferred to Camp Van Dorn Mississippi on June 6, 1944 and assigned to with Company E, 253rd Infantry Regiment, 63rd Infantry Division. He went overseas with E Company in November 1944. He was wounded in Action on Feb 26, 1945, by a shell wound to nose he returned to Company E. On April 8, 1945, during an attack all officers and most non-commissioned officers were wounded, leaving the company in a state of confusion. Sergeant Halsey, communications sergeant, took command of the company until an officer relieved him. During this period, Sergeant Halsey continually exposed himself moving from position to position, reorganizing his company. All this time he carried a radio on his back and constantly kept the battalion commander informed of the situation.
He was awarded the Silver Star Medal (SSM), Bronze Star Medals (BSM), the Purple Heart Medal (PHM), The Combat Infantry Badge, the American Theater of Operations Medal, European African Middle Eastern Theater of operations Medal, the World War Two Victory Medal, American Defense Medal, Army of Occupation Medal, Korean Service Medal, UN Korean Service Medal, and other awards. After the war He reenlisted in the US Army. He served in the Korean War, he retired from the US Army on March 1, 1961. He moved to Champaign Illinois, and he died on September 17, 1970 at the age of 49. Be sure to visit World War Two Veterans dot Org to learn more about thousands of other American World War Two Veterans
63rd Division General order number 73
63rd Division General order number 406
E Company 253rd Infantry morning reports
Journal Gazette Mattoon, Illinois 12 Jan 1938
https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=2&tf=F&q=36003228&bc=sl,sd&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=6234497&rlst=6234497,6234509
https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=2&tf=F&q=36003228&bc=sl,sd&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=6234509&rlst=6234497,6234509
the U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1861-1985
U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1861-1985
The San Bernardino County Sun San Bernardino, California · Friday, June 18, 1943
The San Bernardino County Sun San Bernardino, California · Monday, April 02, 1945
