Harry R. Hoots
Born: 24 Aug 1921 Charleston, Illinois
Enlistment date: 14 May 1940
Deployments: Europe - 05 Sep 1943
Units: C Battery, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion, 101st
Airborne Division
Rank: Corporal
Specializations: Lineman, Telephone and Telegraph.
Qualifications: Expert Rifle, Parachute School Jump Course 1943.
Decorations: World War II Victory Medal, American Defense Service Medal,
American Theatre Ribbon, EAME Theater Ribbon with 1 Bronze Star and 1 Bronze
Arrowhead, Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, Distinguished Unit Citation,
Belgian Fourragere. Oklahoma Cross of Velour, POW Medal, French A Ses Liberte
Urs Medal.
Discharge Date: 14 Jun 1947
Other Information: Harry joined the National Guard in May 1940 and was
inducted into Federal Service in Sep 1940. He was wounded on 6th June 1944 in
Normandy France. He was also take prisoner and held in Cherbourg until his
release upon its liberation. He was then hospitalized and went through a long
rehabilitation before his final discharge in 1947. Since then, Harry has been
very active with the Disabled American Veterans association where he helped
establish the Shawnee Chapter and was its commander for over 12 years. He has
served as post commander, quartermaster and district vice commander for the
Veterans of Foreign Wars and is a life member of the American Ex-Prisoners of
War. Through the hard work and effort of Team Commander George Hicks and others,
on 10th November 2006, Corporal Harry Hoots was inducted into the Oklahoma
Military Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Oklahoma City.
