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World War I
World War I had already been raging in Europe for three years when the U.S. joined the fight on April 6, 1917. The war ended in November 1918. More than 2 million Americans were drafted or volunteered, many never saw combat. Still, more than 116,000 Americans died, many from the 1918 flu.
West Virginia sent 58,000 soldiers to serve. About 27,000 reached the war zone, while others served in Italy and Russia. The state held three drafts between 1917 and 1918. West Virginia lost about 5,000 soldiers—1,120 in combat, 691 in training, and many more to disease.
World War II
After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the U.S. entered World War II. The USS West Virginia was sunk during the attack after being hit by a bomb and seven torpedoes.
West Virginia had the fifth-highest percentage of people serving, with 218,665 residents joining the military—66,716 of them volunteered. About 11,000 African Americans from the state served, including 600 from West Virginia State College (now University). The war claimed the lives of 5,830 West Virginians.
Eleven West Virginians earned the Medal of Honor for their bravery in World War II.
Louis Bennett Jr. was West Virginia’s only World War I fighter ace. Born in Weston, he died in France after his plane was shot down. In just 10 days of combat, he shot down 12 enemy targets—3 planes and 9 balloons—making him one of the top America...
Charlie Brown of Weston flew B-17 bombers in World War II. On a mission in 1943, his badly damaged plane was attacked, and most of his crew were wounded.German pilot Franz Stigler was sent to shoot them down. But after seeing the injured crew, he ...
Buckles was the last surviving American veteran of World War I. He lived in West Virginia for many years and died at age 110.At age 16, Buckles lied about his age to join the Army in 1917. He served in France as an ambulance driver and helped retu...
Chester Howard West is believed to be the only World War I Medal of Honor recipient buried in West Virginia.Born in Colorado in 1888, West joined the Army in 1917. In France, on September 26, 1918, his unit came under machine gun fire in thick fog...
Calhoun County native Bernard Pius Bell received the Medal of Honor for his bravery in World War II. In December 1944, Bell and his small squad captured a schoolhouse in France and held it against German attacks. He killed over 20 enemy soldiers a...
Bender was born in Carlisle, Fayette County, the son of a Russian immigrant coal miner. By 1930, he had moved to Chicago and worked as a chauffeur.Bender joined the Army in 1939 and served in North Africa, Italy, and France during World War II. On...
Colonel Florence A. Blanchfield, a Shepherdstown native, served as superintendent of the Army Nurse Corps from 1943 to 1947. She expanded the Corps from 1,000 to 57,000 nurses and secured equal rights and pay for female nurses through the Army-Nav...
A Roane County native, the highly decorated Bradley made extraordinary contributions during World War II (WWII) and the Korean War. While interned in the Philippines during WWII, she risked her life to provide medical care and assisted in over 230...
Chambers was a Medal of Honor recipient from Huntington. He attended Marshall College (now University) and later earned a law degree while working for federal agencies.Chambers joined the Marine Corps Reserve in 1930 and became an officer in 1932....
Dolores Imogene Dowling, a graduate of St. Mary's Hospital School of Nursing in Huntington, was a nurse in the Army Nurse Corps during World War II, she served in North Africa and Sicily, playing a crucial role in Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals. D...
Everest was “the fastest man alive.” Born in Fairmont, he flew more than 10,000 hours in 170 types of aircraft and test-piloted 122 different models.During World War II, Everest flew combat missions in Europe and Asia. He was shot down and became ...
Robert Edward Femoyer was born in Huntington. He joined the Army Air Forces in 1942 and trained to be a pilot but failed to pass. Instead, he became a navigator and was assigned to the 711th Bomb Squadron in 1944.On November 2, 1944, during a miss...
Clinton M. Hedrick was born in Cherry Grove (Pendleton County). He joined the Army in 1940 and rose to the rank of technical sergeant in the 17th Airborne Division.In March 1945, near Lembeck, Germany, Hedrick charged through heavy gunfire to help...
This Mineral County native grew up in Keyser, played sports at Keyser High School, and attended Potomac State College of WVU before being drafted into the Army in 1943.Kelley became a sergeant in the 78th Infantry Division. In January 1945, during...
Melvin Mayfield was born in Salem (Harrison County) and joined the Army in 1941.In the last weeks of World War II, he served in the Philippines with the 6th Infantry Division. On July 29, 1945, Mayfield bravely attacked four enemy positions alone,...
This Braxton County native became a decorated pilot during World War II. He graduated from WVU and joined the Army Air Corps in 1941. During World War II, he flew 39 combat missions, including the major bombing raid over Schweinfurt, Germany, in 1...
Roberts was the first Black military pilot from West Virginia and a member of the famous Tuskegee Airmen in World War II. Born in London, Kanawha County, he graduated from Dunbar High School and West Virginia State College (now University).Roberts...
James Ira “Junior J.” Spurrier was born in Castlewood, Virginia. His family moved often during the Great Depression before settling in Bluefield, where he worked for the Civilian Conservation Corps. After his mother died in 1940, he joined the Arm...
Thomas was born in Columbus, Ohio, and moved to South Charleston as a child. He was a star football player at South Charleston High School and Virginia Tech.In 1942, Thomas enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve. He served with the 3rd Marine Divisi...
Walter C. Wetzel was born in Huntington. He joined the Army in 1941 after his family moved to Detroit for work. His unit trained across the U.S. before heading to Europe in 1943 to prepare for the Normandy Invasion.After landing in France in July ...
Williams was born in Quiet Dell, Marion County. He grew up in Fairmont, joined the Marines in 1943, and saw combat in Guam and Iwo Jima.At Iwo Jima in 1945, Williams bravely used a flamethrower to destroy seven enemy pillboxes under heavy fire, re...
General Yeager was born in Myra, Lincoln County. After the war, he became the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound. In 1941, Yeager had enlisted in the Army Air Corpsand served as a fighter pilot during World War II, flying 64 combat...
Notable Military Figures: Korea and Vietnam
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Medal of Honor Recipients from West Virginia
This Exhibit has 71 Sections