Profiles Spring-Summer 2013 HFDFW

 

Glenn was drafted into the U.S.Army. He was inducted into the service on August 23, 1944 at the age of 18.

He was shipped overseas with the 42^nd Infantry Division also known as the “Rainbow Division.” The 42^nd was activated on July 14, 1943 and experienced 106 days of combat. The “Rainbow Division” fought in campaigns in the European theater of operations. These included the Rhineland and the Central European campaigns.

Glenn was assigned to the 232^nd Infantry Regiment; Company G. Glenn’s job was that of a scout/sniper, a particularly hazardous specialty. Many times working alone, and away from friendly forces, by definition they were usually ahead of an advancing unit to feel out the enemy and determine his position.

The 42^nd advanced through the German Siegfried line during the week of March 15-21, 1945. On March 19^th Glenn was captured by the Nazi’s. The 42^nd crossed the Rhine River on March 31, 1945, Hitler’s last western natural barrier on the road to Berlin. He spent a little over a month in a German POW camp, and was liberated on April 26, 1945.

The 42^nd shoulder patch originally was of a half rainbow. During the spring of 1945, soldiers in the 42^nd began to half the rainbow again, thus creating an quarter rainbow shoulder patch. This was to honor all the 42^nd’s soldiers that were killed, wounded or missing during the horrific last ditch stand of the German army. It was eventually adopted by the Army and is a quarter rainbow to this day.  

Glenn was awarded the WWII Victory ribbon, Good Conduct medal, Bronze Service Star, Purple Heart, POW medal and the coveted combat rifleman badge.

He was discharged on April 26, 1946, a year to the day that he was captured.