Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Linwood, North Carolina
Honored By
Sam E. Pennartz
ENLISTED AS AN AVIATION CADET IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS ON 19 NOVEMBER 1941 AT CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA. GRADUATED FROM AERIAL NAVIGATION SCHOOL AND WAS COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT. UNDERWENT B-29 AIRCRAFT TRANSITION AND COMBAT CREW TRAINING AT PRATT ARMY AIR FIELD, KANSAS. DEPLOYED TO THE CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATRE OF OPERATIONS AND WAS ASSIGNED TO 20TH AIR FORCE, XXI BOMBER COMMAND, 73RD BOMB WING, 497TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP, 870TH BOMB SQUADRON STATIONED AT ISLEY FIELD ON SAIPAN IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS. DURING THE NIGHT AND EARLY MORNING HOURS OF 13-14 APRIL 1945, HE FLEW AS THE NAVIGATOR ABOARD A BOEING B-29 SUPERFORTRESS, NICKNAMED WHEEL N’ DEAL' (SERIAL #42-24604) TAIL CODE: A-SQUARE-24. IT WAS ONE OF 348 AIRCRAFT LAUNCHED IN A MULTI-WING OPERATION TO BOMBARD THE JAPANESE ARMY ORDNANCE DEPOT AT TOKYO, JAPAN. FLAK FROM ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY WAS MEAGER AND JAPANESE FIGHTER AIRCRAFT ATTACKS WERE DESCRIBED AS MODERATE. HE WAS KILLED WHEN HIS AIRCRAFT CRASHED AND BURNED WITHIN THE IKEBUKURO DISTRICT OF TOKYO.