Ben O. Busbee,

Ben O. Busbee Jr , 92, died Wednesday February 1, 2017. He was born April 8, 1924 in Greenville SC.Surviving are his wife of 44 years, Carolyn Wilhite Busbee; sons Ben O. Busbee III, David Busbee (Cindy); daughters Anne Brown (Bobby), Melodye Sabiston (Terry), Melora Bush (Jerry), Melona Lacomba (Ralph); grandchildren Jennifer Rudisell (Brian), Jason Cavanaugh, Sarah Taylor (Taylor) , Ashley Carroll, James Carrol, Christopher Carroll, Dustin Carroll, Stephanie Bush Spencer, Connor Bush, Lawson Lacomba; and 9 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased in death by daughter Cathy Peterson. Visitation will be from 6:00-8:00 pm on Sunday, February 5, 2017; and services will be Monday, February 6, 2017 at 11:00 am; both at Temples-Halloran Funeral Home, 5400 Bush River Road Columbia SC 29212 (803-772-1231). Please, in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Gideons International (Lexington West Camp) P.O. Box 452, Lexington, SC 29071. Ben was a devoted member of Gideons International for over 25 years serving in every state office up to and including State President. He was a WWII combat veteran; serving in the Army from March 1943 through September 1945.He was with the Overseas Staging Area, and went through the Provisional Training Center, 2nd course, from Feb.-April 1944.He was awarded the Silver Medal as the second leading graduate (of 186 students).Later that year he qualified as rifle Marksman.In the Fall he was transferred to the Infantry and sent overseas to the 1st Division (General Patton’s "Big Red One"), 26th Regt, 2 BN. He was in the Ardennes sector for the Battle of the Bulge, crossed the Rhine at Remagen, fought the Waffen SS in the Harz Mountains.Transferred at the last minute from 1st Army to Patton's 3rd Army, Ben wound up the war in Czechoslovakia.He witnessed 2 sessions of the Nuremburg war crimes trials before separation from the Army.He was awarded the Bronze Star for combat action, the Good Conduct Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 3 bronze service stars, the World War II Victory Medal, Combat Infantry Badge 1st Award, and the Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII.He refused the Purple Heart after being blown off a tank on his 19th birthday because his fellow soldiers were killed in the attack and he didn’t want his mother to worry about him if she knew he was to be awarded the Purple Heart!