243757 T5. Bernard Joseph DeVorse US Army 634th AAA Battalion, HQ Bty. 49th AAA Brigade from:Milwaukee Bernard DeVorse was my father and always entertained me as a child with his war stories. I don't remember the details clearly now but he supplied enough information to serve as the basis for my research as an adult.
He enlisted in 1939 and was posted to the 61st Coast Artillery Regiment at Fort Sheridan, IL. He went through basic training there and was ultimately assigned to the 2nd Btn. He participated in maneuvers in Arkansas and Texas during 1940 and 1941.
After the war broke out, the 61st was sent to Iceland in Feb. 1942 and remained there until July of 1943. They were sent to England in July and the 61st essentially ceased to exist in August 1943.
The 2nd Battalion became the 634th AAA (AW) Battery and was assigned to the 211th AAA group of the 49th AAA Brigade. The 211th AAA group was assigned as a reinforcement element and was landed on Utah beach on D+7.
Various assignments to other groups (11th, 14th and 16th) within the 49th Brigade followed as they moved across France, Belgium and Luxembourg until the their posting in support of the 106th infantry at St.Vith, Belgium. The HQ Battery was assigned as infantry when the Germans broke through and the 634th was ultimately given a meritorious unit citation for their defensive action around St.Vith. They later participated in the defense of the Ludendorf railroad bridge at Remagen. The 634th was the first complete AAA unit to set up on the German side of the Rhine and it was the unit's first opportunity to fire on the German Me262 Sparrow jet. shortly thereafter, the Germans surrendered and the 634th was sent home and mustered out.
Dad participated in the Normandy, Northern France, Alsace-Ardenne, Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns.
Dad earned the following awards:
- Meritorious Unit Citation (Presidential Unit Citation Now)
- Good Conduct Medal
- American Defense Service Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Europe-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 5 Campaign Stars
- World War II Victory Medal
- Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp
- French Liberation Medal
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