Daniel H. Person

DEPLOYMENT

According to military service records, Daniel enlisted for service on February 17, 1942 at Pine Camp, New York. He entered service when he arrived at For Niagara and was later transferred to Fort Knox in Kentucky. He was a lean 5’ 11” and 163 pounds.

INVADING NORTHERN AFRICA

Roughly one month after Daniel arrived in Northern Ireland, major troop movement began.

Operation Torch was the codename for the Allied Invasion of North Africa that began in November of 1942. Working in collaboration, British and American troops planned the invasion of Morocco and Algeria.

The amphibious assault aimed for Casablanca on November 8. Major General George S. Patton was the commanding officer along with Rear Admiral Henry Hewitt. 35,000 men from the U.S. 2nd Armored and U.S. 3rd and 9th Infantry Divisions participated.

By November 10, Casablanca was captured, along with the nearby Moroccan capital city of Rabat.

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Below are three photos from Daniel’s personal photo album.
All three photos had a handwritten note next to them: “Rabat No. Africa 1943”

While not confirmed, current research suggests that Daniel Person may have been part of the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division. According to his service records, his position was clerk and his rank was corporal. It’s not known if his position changed at any point over the course of the war.

• In the U.S. Army, corporal is preceded by the first three forms of private and the rank of specialist. A corporal rank (hard stripe) shares the same pay grade (E-4) as a specialist. Unlike a specialist, however, a corporal is a (junior) non-commissioned officer and may direct the activities of other soldiers.

• Corporals have served as the smallest unit leaders in the Army: principally, leaders of teams. Like the grade of sergeant, corporals are responsible for individual training, personal appearance and cleanliness of their soldiers.

THE TUNISIAN CAMPAIGN

Following the quick victory in Morocco (just two days), Allied Forces looked east and focused on defeating the Afrika Korps, the Nazi forces led by the “Desert Fox” Erwin Rommel.

The Tunisian Campaign, for which Daniel earned his first of three bronze service stars, would last from November 17, 1942 through May 13, 1943.

THE PURPLE HEART

Daniel Person was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received during service in World War II.

His official military records are incomplete, believed to have largely been lost during a 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center. So it is not known precisely when, where, or how Daniel was wounded. His injuries were to his left foot and leg based on photographs from his personal photo album (see below).

Daniel’s records indicated he left Europe on June 1, 1944. Given the state of his injury at this time (still relying on crutches and unable to wear a shoe on his left foot), he was likely injured shortly before his return to the States.

He arrived back in the U.S. on June 11, 1944.

Based on family accounts, Daniel spoke at several gatherings after he returned, to raise support for the war and encourage citizens to buy war bonds.

The above photo to shows him speaking outside of Rhodes General Hospital in Utica, New York, still relying on a crutches for support, on July 7, 1944.

Daniel Person was honorably discharged from the Army on October 4, 1945, less than two months after the war officially ended.

For more details regarding the information in the Report of Separation, see the Reading & Understanding WWII Discharge Document.

You can also download digital copies of Daniel Person’s photos shown on this page.