George Smilanich, None
| conflict: | World War II |
|---|---|
| branch: | Army |
| rank: | Corporal |
| serial number: | 37 327 852 |
| location: | 67th Armored Regiment of the Second Armored "Hell on Wheels" Division in Africa, Sicily, England, Normandy Invasion, and the Battle of the Bulge. |
| enlistment date: | Nov. 25, 1942 |
| place enlisted: | Fort Snelling, MN |
| discharge date: | Nov. 17, 1945 |
| place discharged: | Camp McCoy, WI |
| decorations: |
Bronze Star Medal (1941-) European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (1941-1946) Good Conduct Medal (U. S. Armed Forces) Purple Heart (1932-) Service Star(s) World War II Victory Medal (1941-1946) |
|---|---|
| history: | Wounded in action and developed frost bitten feet. Hospitalized at the 55th General Hospital in Birmingham, England. The Second Armored Division served as an Honor guard at the Potsdam Conference where the Division stood in review of many dignitaries including: Churchill, Stalin, and Generals Eisenhower, Patton, Spaatz, Bradley, and Montgomery. The division also received the Belgian Fourragere, a unit citation. Because of wartime experiences, he consulted on the Brad Pitt movie "Fury," released in 2014. |
| service documents: | |
| references: | (1) Hometown Heroes: The St. Louis County World War Two Project (2004?), p. 299; (2) American Legion, Press-Lloyd Post No. 247 (Chisholm, Minn.) Records. Iron Range Research Center, Chisholm, Minnesota. |
Personal Information
| date of birth: | June 21, 1922 |
|---|---|
| birth place: | Buhl, MN |
| home town: | Buhl, MN |
| date of death: | None |
| father: | Mane (Mike) Smilanich |
| mother: | Yelena (Helen) Smilanich (nee Hydukovich) |
| siblings: | Mike Mary Sophie Pete Rose Bette |
| school: | Martin Hughes High School |
Last update: 2/10/2016