Tribute to George B. Surface
5th Armored Division
81st Tank Battalion
C Company
George B. Surface entered the service in March of 1942. He reported to Basic Training to learn the ways of the Army, he went to the Mojave Desert to learn the ways of the M4 Sherman Tank. He was assigned to Company C, 81st Tank Battalion, 5th Armored Division, and according to his records he moved up steadily from Private First Class to Tech 5 to Tech 4, then to Sergeant and on to Staff Sergeant. The 5th Armored Division landed in France in Aug. of 1944. In September of 1944 they saw their first combat. It was here that he was lightly wounded in action and received the Purple Heart he also received the first of three Bronze Service Stars. He received two more for action in Northern France and in Germany at the Battle of the Hurtgen Forrest. His Division also held a defensive position at the Battle of the Bulge.
George received one more promotion. On March 25, 1945 in the Town of Wallendorf, Germany, he received a Battlefield Commission to 2nd Lieutenant and was placed in charge of a tank platoon. He was responsible for: Five M4 Sherman Tanks and 24 men.
Submitted by Darren McGuire (nephew)
Updated 1/22/08