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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

Volunteered for Navy April 20, 1943, 2 days prior to 18th birthday, 6 weeks prior to completing first year of college.

Tours of duty:
- Boot Camp - Farragut, Idaho.
- Aviation Radio School - Millington. TN.
- Aerial Gunnery School - Yellow Water, FL
- Operational PBY flight and gunnery training - Jacksonville, FL
- PB4Y (B-24) training - Hutchinson KS
- PB4Y-1 Replacement Pool, North Island Naval Air Station, CA
- Assigned to Navy Squadron VPB-117, Camp Kearney, CA (operational training)

13 August 1944 ferried plane to Kaneohe Bay, HI for further squadron training

4 October 1944 on Tinian Island, Marianas - 14 missions, 160 combat hours.

1 December 1944 Leyte, Philippines. - 19 missions, 225.3 combat hours.

2 February 1945 Mindoro, Philippines - 11 missions, 128.6 hours.

--Total 44 missions, 513.9.combat hours. 11.6 hours average, longest 15.5 combat hours.

Chosen from Fleet Air Wing 10 for Naval Reserve Officer Training Course (NROTC). Honorable discharge 2 semesters later. Finished college on GI Bill.

Awarded Distinguished Flying Cross, 7 air medals, Presidential Unit Citation, and other combat ribbons. Two-hour guest at President Osmania's home in Tacloban, Leyte with family December 1944 -- social highlight of World War II (WWII).