Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran Elvis Arthur Mason. Arthur served from 1942 to 1946 and 1950 to 1952.
Elvis was born in October 1921 in Elberfeld, Indiana. He moved to Oakland City, Indiana and was drafted into the Army at the age of 20. Elvis completed basic training at Camp Swift, Texas and was assigned to an infantry regiment. He also completed swamp training, desert training and mountain training in Louisiana, California and West Virginia, respectively. Elvis’s unit was deployed to Europe and landed in England shortly after D-Day. Elvis traveled to France and volunteered to drive gasoline to other allied camps. His unit engaged in combat for 100 consecutive days and moved through France, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium and Holland to push the German army back. Elvis took over as platoon leader during this campaign and credited the platoon’s camaraderie for helping the soldiers get through the difficult time.
Elvis briefly remained in Europe after Germany surrendered and participated in the liberation of a poorly maintained camp of German citizens. He then returned to the United States and was preparing to travel to Japan when the Japanese surrendered in 1945. Elvis continued to serve at Camp Shelby, Mississippi and Camp Butler, North Carolina before he was honorably discharged in December, 1945. He joined the Army reserves and was called to join the Korean War in 1950. He reported to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri in October and served in Japan and Korea, where he helped to build roads and airstrips for artillery planes.
Elvis was awarded the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. He passed away on July 14, 2012 at the age of 90.
We honor his service.
Nominate a Veteran for #VeteranOfTheDay
Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? You’re in luck! VA’s #VeteranOfTheDay social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.
It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. All it takes is an email to newmedia@va.gov with as much information as you can put together, along with some good photos. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission.
Veterans History Project
This #VeteranOfTheDay profile was created with interviews submitted to the Veterans History Project. The project collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war Veterans so that future generations may hear directly from Veterans and better understand the realities of war. Find out more at http://www.loc.gov/vets/.
Graphic By Lilian Vo: Lilian Vo is an undergraduate senior at George Mason University studying Global Affairs and Intelligence Analysis.
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