George Jorgenson
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Army
George Jorgenson served in World War II and in the Korean War.
During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army in the infantry. He was trained at the Infantry Replacement Center (IRTC) in Camp Blanding, Florida. His rank was Corporal.
He was awarded the: Silver Star, Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal and other service medals.
He was presented with the Silver Star by Senator Paul Wellstone in 1999.
Mr. Jorgenson was born in Warren, Minnesota, in 1924, the son of George and Hannah Jorgenson.
Source: Veterans’ Memorial Hall Veteran History Form; letter from Sen. Paul Wellstone, July 10, 1999; veteran’s relative’s account (see below)
My grandfather, George Jorgenson, is my hero. Not because he served in World War II, not because he survived World War II, but because of who he is as a person.
He started his World War II tour in Italy during the Anzio beachhead operation. He landed on the beaches of St. Tropez as a scout on one of the first amphibious boats to land on the beachhead. He crawled on his belly throwing a grenade into the pill box, thus saving many lives. Later, his regiment was sent into the town of Utweiler, Germany, only to be ambushed. That day he led six fellow members of this company out of town by crawling in a drainage ditch and hiding out behind a cemetery wall.
He was only one of twenty-eight men that were not captured or killed in the entire regiment. He was on the front lines from the time he arrived in Italy until the end of the war and cam back without a scratch. In fact, so did his four brothers who also served.
He did not speak of the war until the last few years; he says that his trigger was when Gulf War veterans started coming back, telling their stories, and being decorated. He did not receive his Silver Star until July of 2000 when Senator Paul Wellstone bestowed it upon him in a private ceremony. Senator Wellstone had wanted it to be public, but my grandfather had insisted on it being private.
I learned of the award only days before the ceremony; until that point, I thought that he was there but didn’t see front line action. As kids we would ask him what it was like, what he did, if he had to shoot anyone He never provided any information; the closest that we got was when he told us that he fired a shot into the darkness while on night patrol.
We now know a much different story. He turned 86 years old in December getting ever more fragile. We’ve tried to talk him into taking this trip for a couple of years now. He waffles at it ever time; he’d like to go but doesn’t want anyone to make a fuss. He says that he’d be too tired, but in the same breath says he could handle it. T
his is how he is. My grandpa is my hero because he is humble in himself and his accomplishment, glowing and proud of his family. Really, it’s just that simple. I know he doesn’t have much time left, and I’d like to honor him in any way similar to how he has honored me, my family, and my country.
