Profiles Spring-Summer 2014 HFDFW

 

Hugh joined the National Guard on January 17, 1940 at the age of 22. He was transferred to the 5^th Army at Camp Bowie located in Brownwood, Texas. It was here that he volunteered for the regular Army. Soon he was assigned to the famed 36^th Infantry Division, known as the Texas Division. The 36^th was activated on November 25, 1940. It arrived overseas on April 2, 1943 and saw 400 days of combat.

Hugh had been trained as a medic and was part of the 131^st Field Artillery Regiment of the 36^th Infantry Division.

It was in the 131^st that Hugh began his odyssey that took him to Europe, Africa, Italy, France, Germany and Austria.

One of his most tragic experiences was when his unit marched into a small German village where a castle was situated on a hill. Upon entering the castle, Hugh’s unit found that everyone in the castle had taken cyanide, including children.

After this discovery, Hugh’s unit marched a short distance and found a Nazi prison camp set up as an extermination camp. Here were piles of dead Jewish prisoners and emancipated survivors who were starving. The soldiers cut the barbed wire to release the prisoners and began distributing food. Later, Hugh and the other soldiers found some German civilians in a nearby village. They were marched back to the camp and told to bury the Jewish prisoners.

Hugh was awarded the Purple Heart and Good Conduct medals. He also received the Silver and Bronze Stars. Among his other awards was the Presidential Unit Emblem, the American defense and American Campaign medals. Others include the European, African, Middle Eastern campaign medals and many others.

Hugh was discharged on August 13, 1945 with the rank of Medical Technician 3^rd Class.