Honor Flight DFW Profiles and Interviews

George was drafted into the military on April 21, 1942. He was 23 years old.

He was an aviation cadet and wanted to fly airplanes in the Army Air Forces. His instructor washed him out, as many cadets were, but in George’s case it was because he was “too reckless” in his flying.

George eventually was stationed in England with the famous 8^th Army Air Force.

He served with the 351^st Bomb Group and was the Administrative S-2. Later George served with the 9^th Air Force on the continent of Europe. He saw duty in France, Belgium, and Luxemburg.

George attained the rank of Sergeant. The 351^st Bomb Group had the distinction of receiving 3 Presidential Unit Citations.

He was discharged on October 3, 1945.

Honor Flight DFW Profiles and Interviews

Carl enlisted in the Us Naval Reserve on December 13, 1942 at the age of 18. He participated in the V-12 Officer training program. Later he attended the USNR Midshipman School in New York City for 4 months. Then for 2 months Carl attended the US Navy’s Recognition School at Ohio State University.

During his time in the Navy Carl was a Recognition Officer and instructor. He was also an Executive Officer.

He served at the US Armed Guard Naval Training School at New Orleans. He also was at the US Navy’s Signal Station at Borwood La.

Carl was out of the military on July 1, 1946. However he was recalled during the Korean conflict on June 1, 1951. He was stationed at the US Navy Security Station at Washington D.C. as a security officer. He again was released from active duty on May 28, 1953.   

Honor Flight DFW Profiles and Interviews

James enlisted in the Texas National Guard June 1936. He was called up for national service on November 25, 1940. He trained at Camp Bowie Texas.

He was trained and served in the US Army Corps of Engineers. He has an interesting military resume. James served in Alaska from 1942-43, India in 1944, Iran from 1944-45, and Korea from 1946-48 doing occupation duty.

His most memorable moment was while sailing on the USS General A.E.Anderson. They were in the Pacific about 2500 east of Melbourne Australia. The ship was attacked by a Japanese submarine which fired several torpedoes at the ship. Luckily the ship’s crew managed to steer the Anderson away from the torpedoes. A British bomber arrived on the scene and dropped several depth charges on the submarine then flew away. James never found out if the submarine was actually hit, but no more torpedoes were fired at the Anderson that day.

James attained the rank of T/Sgt. and was acting 1^st Sgt. while stationed in Korea. He was awarded the Good Conduct, and American Asiatic-Pacific medals. He also was awarded the European, CBI and Korean occupation medals.

He was discharged from the military on December 7, 1948 at the age of 28. 

Honor Flight DFW Profiles and Interviews

Ron enlisted in the Marines on March 10, 1953.

He was an instructor in hand to hand combat, a Military Policeman, and a body guard and driver for a Navy admiral. Ron served in the Pacific and Korea.

Ron served on several ships while being attached to a flag officer. One of his most memorable experiences was while standing as an honor guard during a visit by then president of China, Chiang Kai-shek.

Ron was discharged from the military on March 10, 1956.   

Honor Flight DFW Profiles and Interviews

Bill enlisted in the Army Air Forces on April 7, 1943 at the age of 18.

 He was assigned to the famous 8^th AAF in England and was a Navigator on a B-24 Liberator. His unit was the 448^th Bombardment group. His group was based at Seething England, near Norwich.

Bill flew 30 combat missions as lead navigator. This was at a time when the chances of a crewman on a heavy bomber over Europe had only about a 1 in 5 chance of going home after those 30 missions. Most were shot down and killed or captured by German fighters and flak.

The main targets of the 8^th AAF were railroads and ship yards. Other targets were the German oil industry, ball bearing and aircraft factories.

Bill’s plane was shot down over Belgium at one point during his tour. His crew was rescued by a follow up plane. He narrowly survived this mission. Another time while sighting through the navigator’s sight bubble, Bill realized that the flak was becoming intense. When he lowered his head to grab his flak helmet, a piece of shrapnel hit the sight bubble and destroyed it. Bill received no injuries.

Bill attained the rank of Captain and won the Air Medal five times. He was also awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

He was discharged on January 27, 1946.

Honor Flight DFW Profiles and Interviews

Laura joined the Navy at the age of 18 in January 1945.

He was assigned to the USS Ocanto, a Haskell-class attack transport operation in the south Pacific.

Laura was a Fireman 1^st class and was assigned to the engine room of the ship.

The Ocanto was in several battles including the battle of Okinawa. The ship came under attack from Japanese kamikazes several times. The ship gunners were credited with one confirmed downed enemy aircraft, and assisted in another.

Laura’s most memorable experience was watching as our planes struck the island of Okinawa while his ship was under a smoke screen from other ships for protection from Japanese aircraft.

The ship was on standby off Japan when the two atom bombs were dropped on Japan. Later the ship picked up thousands of sick and starving American POW’s from the notorious Japanese POW camps and transported them back to the states.

Laura received the American Campaign and Defense medals, Asiatic campaign medal, as well several others.

He was discharged from the military on April 17, 1946.

Honor Flight DFW profiles and interviews

Harold enlisted in the US Navy in 1944 at the age of 19. He enlisted in the Navy because he “liked to swim!”

He was assigned to the Casablanca class escort carrier, the USS Shipley Bay “CVE-85.”

Harold was on the carrier when she participated in many of the most ferocious battles in the south Pacific.  But first the carrier acted as a replenishment carrier that was delivering pilots, aircraft and ammunition to the fast carriers with Task Force 38 operating east of Samar and Luzon, Philippine Islands in October 1944, to January 1945.

The Shipley Bay’s first combat operations were in June 1945 when the carrier was in action off Okinawa. It launched planes in attacks on the islands of Miyako-jima and Ishigaki-jima to take out the airfields on those islands.

In September 1945 Harold was on board when the Shipley Bay participated in “Operation Magic Carpet.” This was the return of American forces from Okinawa and Kwajalein, returning several thousand troops to the States.

Harold attained the rank of Seaman Second Class. He received the American Campaign Victory medal, Asiatic Pacific theater medal, and the American Defense medal. He was discharged from the Navy on February 9, 1946.

Honor flight DFW profiles and interviews

John enlisted in the Army Air Corp in 1942. He wanted to fly airplanes but it was found that his eyesight wasn’t good enough.

He trained for 6 weeks in radio school and 7 weeks of air traffic control school. John trained in California and was then sent for further training in Hawaii. One his most memorable experiences was the first time that he saw Pearl Harbor. There was the wreckage of the attack as well as some of the mighty ships that had been raised to fight again. The battleship Arizona of course was there and John saw the historic ship sadly lying in the mud that was Pearl Harbor.  

John served in the Gilbert Islands as an Air Traffic Controller. Specifically he was on the island of Tarawa, the scene of ferocious fighting earlier as the Marines took the island from the Japanese.

He received the Good Conduct ribbon with one star, and the Pacific Theater ribbon.

He was discharged on November 11, 1945.