329th Buckshot Unit History

Sgt Walter L. Arnold

Sergeant
Walter L. Arnold

Sergeant Walter L. Arnold

Walter Lee Arnold was born on May 25, 1922 in Bryantsville, a little village in Kentucky as the son of he late Ella Mae Hagan (1896–1984) and Walter Tribble Arnold (1886–1952). At an early age he was nicknamed 'Pete', and was lovingly known by this name the rest of his life too family and friends (except his mother).

Nine months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, he was ordered to report for induction in the U.S. Army in September 1942. Walter L. 'Pete' Arnold had basic training in Camp Atterbury, Indiana for 8 months, then went to the Tennessee maneuvers, were they maneuvered against the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions. Walter Arnold went from there to Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky and trained until April 1943. Then he was send overseas with the largest convoy that ever cross the Atlantic Ocean. He arrived in Liverpool and trained for four months in Wales, England. He landed on Omaha Beach on June 23, 1944 wich was D-Day +17. Walter Arnold served with the Anti-Tank Company, 329th Infantry Regiment, 83rd Infantry Division from Camp Atterbury across the Elbe River to within 25-40 miles of Berlin. By the end of the War he was a sergeant, commanding a 10-man squad. For his service he was awarded the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Bronze Star Medal witch he earned on April 13, 1945 at Walternienburg, Germany, the Good Conduct Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the European African Middle-Eastern Campaign Medal with 5 campaign stars, the WW2 Victory Medal and the Legion d'Honneur awarded by the French Republic.

Walter L. Arnold was one of six brothers who served in the military, four during World War II, and two in the Korean conflict. In addition, their brother-in-law, Hobert Spires (husband of sister, Frances) served in the 100th Bomb Group as a waist-gunner on a B-17. He was shot down over Berlin while on his last mission, March 6, 1944.

Pete Arnold returned from Europe in November 1945 and married Mildred Jean Clark on September 4, 1946. They began their lives as farmers, but Pete was called back into active military service during the Korean conflict. He was honorably discarged from the Army in July 1952. He died on March 20, 2015 when he was 92 years old. He was survived by his beloved wife of 68 years, Jean Arnold (1929-).