William Davis Rhodes
Veteran of D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge
Dare and
Endure:
World War II
This is no time for ease and
comfort. It is the time to dare and endure.
- Winston Churchill
William Davis Rhodes
Veteran of D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge
Updated July, 2002
A few years ago, I uncovered a small treasure. It was a document that I had longed to find. And when I finally found it, held it in my hands, it was as if a key had turned within a lock.
It was my grandfather's Honorable Discharge.
William D. Rhodes, born on 17 December 1917, was 25 when he joined up. Three years later, he was much older. He had seen the bloody Normandy beach code-named Omaha. He had stared into the mists of a snowy forest named Ardennes, a frozen hell where over a million men fought the largest land battle of the war.
He had mysteriously "acquired" a motorcycle and cruised the frozen lanes of Belgium, meeting up with a Belgian lass known only as Collette. He had seen a Nazi death camp.
And, somewhere along the way, someone had handed him a Silver Star.
He was a member of the 3rd Armored Division, the Spearhead that drove into the heart of Nazi Germany. The unstoppable 3rd was the first allied unit to enter Germany, the first to capture a German town (Roetgen), and the first to breach the infamous Siegfried Line. And, when the bloody end finally came, it was the last unit of the First Army's VII Corps to cease firing.
When it was all over, the division's artillery officer reported that 490,021 rounds of 105mm ammunition had been fired between D-Day and VE Day, more than any other division in the European theater. This does not count the estimated 100,000 rounds fired by attached light battalions.
Later, my grandfather was part of the 106th Infantry Division, proudly known as the Golden Lions. I have corresponded with some of the members of Company F 423rd Infantry of the Golden Lions. They are a knowledgeable and very interesting group of men.
If you have a WWII veteran in the family, call them up. Tell them thanks. They deserve it.
Memoirs of Ray Reeder
I am proud to present the memoirs of Charles "Ray" Reeder, a veteran of WWII.
Please Help POWs
Several WWII prisoners of war are seeking restitution from rich Japanese corporations that profited from their slave labor. The weekly news periodical Parade (17 June 2001, pages 4 - 6) reported on three men who suffered horrible treatment and privation during their captivity while being forced to work for corporations like Mitsubishi and Kawasaki.
To help show your support, write to representatives Michael Honda or Dana Rohrabacher. You can also write your own representative or senator. Be sure to reference bill HR1198.
Join the Dare and Endure Community
The free WWII newsletter has been replaced by a new internet community. Also, since I can no longer manage the volume of the popular Honor Roll, I have added a self-serve honor roll.
Click here to see more.
Find WWII Books and Movies
Spearheading with the Third Armored Division
Among my grandfather's papers, I found an original document presumably distributed to the men of the 3rd Armored Division. I have transcribed the original text and displayed the original images.
Honor Roll
This section contains the names of Allied soldiers who stepped forward when their country called.
Please note: I am no longer accepting entries for the Honor Roll. Please consider joining the Dare and Endure Community where you can use the self-serve Honor Roll.
Click here to see more.
Medal of Honor
This section contains the names of American servicemen who won the nation's highest award for conspicuous gallantry.
Images
Click here to view a few photos from the National Archives extensive list.
Bastogne - The Soldier's Battle
This is a transcript of a newspaper editorial published in Jan 1945.
In the News
This section contains excerpts from news items printed during the war.
Secret Codes
This section contains a list of code names used during the war.
Famous Fighters
This section contains the names of people who were, or would become, famous who fought in World War II.
Homeward Bound
This section contains a transcript of an original "going home" roster dated 24 Jun 1945.
We Need Your Help
The webmaster of the 3rd Armored Division site needs your help. We want the Medal of Honor (MOH) for this very special tank crew. Click on the image above to learn more about these men.
World War II Memoirs
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