World War II Honoree

Glen A. Portt

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Mayville, Michigan

Honored By

Mr. Russell Portt

ARMY AIR CORPS, JANUARY 1941. TRAINED AS A NAVIGATOR. WHEN WAR BROKE OUT ON DECEMBER 7, 1941, HE WAS SENT TO SPOKANE WASHINGTON WHERE HE FLEW PATROLS OFF THE WEST COAST AS PART OF A B-17 CREW. IN 1942, HE WAS SENT TO MONROE LOUISIANA, AS A SQUADRON COMMANDER OVER 600 CADETS IN A NAVIGATION SCHOOL, GAINING COMBAT CREW TRAINING IN BOTH B17'S AND B29'S. HIS ASSIGNMENTS FOR MOST PART STAYED CLEAR OF MAJOR COMBAT REGIONS, AS HE LATER FERRIED AIRCRAFT TO EUROPE VIA NEWFOUNDLAND, GREENLAND AND ICELAND. AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE SERVICE IN LATE 1945, BUT MAINTAINING A RESERVE STATUS. IN JANUARY 1952, HE WAS CALLED BACK TO ACTIVE DUTY, WHERE HE REMAINED UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT AS A COLONEL IN 1969.