The Story

Among the brave men of the 605th Tank Destroyer Battalion was T/5 Given Woodrow Slagle, known to friends and family as “Gib.” A native of Chillicothe, Ohio, Gib served as a half-track driver in the European Theater of Operations, likely operating a vehicle outfitted with a .50-caliber machine gun one of the mobile weapons platforms critical to the battalion’s firepower and flexibility in battle.

Though the details of his company assignment remain unclear, what’s certain is that Gib crossed both the Rhône and Rhine Rivers during key campaigns, contributing to the Allied push into Nazi-occupied territory. The half-track he drove a hybrid of armored truck and tracked vehicle carried both crew and heavy weaponry, combining speed and off-road capability. Gib's role placed him in direct support of anti-tank operations, where every crew member had to be prepared to face enemy armor with mounted guns, teamwork, and sometimes shoulder-fired weapons like bazookas.

After the war, Gib married Deloris Jones and built a family whose members still carry his name with pride. His memory lives on not only through children and grandchildren, but also through a powerful sense of honor and lineage. Shared by his grandson Christopher Given Mead, the Slagle family's legacy now spans four generations of namesakes each a tribute to Gib’s strength and sacrifice.

If his name isn’t yet included on the 605th roster, it deserves to be added with distinction. We invite family members to share more details, photos, or service records to help preserve and expand the story of this dedicated soldier.