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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Mr. Golden C. Cole

Lt. Harry L. Cole, Jr., DFC, (KIA)
USN -- 22 August 1920 - 17 June 1944
Lt. Cole wanted to fly as his father had, so while attending Washington State College (now University); he enrolled in the Civilian Pilots Training Program flying a J-3 Piper Cub. He received his private pilot's license in early 1940 and then took advanced training in a Ryan monoplane at Felts Field, Spokane, Washington. In the spring of 1941 he enlisted in the Navy, completed flight training and received his wings and commission at Pensacola, FL.
He was immediately assigned as a Flight Instructor in PBYs and continued in that assignment until mid-1943. In late 1943, by now a full Lieutenant, he was transferred to a fighter group made up of FM II's (Wildcats) and assigned to the USS Ktikun Bay Escort Carrier (CVE 71). He was appointed Division Leader of a Fighter Wing Group and engaged in several skirmishes with the enemy in the Marianas Islands. He died 17 June 1944 after having been wounded and without radio contact attempted to make a carrier landing with his badly damaged plane just off the island of Saipan. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross.