World War II Honoree

Joseph Leonard Whitehead

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Happy Valley, Tennessee

Honored By

Thomas Edward Byrd

Relationship

Cousin

CAREER MILITARY, STATIONED AT NICHOLS FIELD ARMY AIR BASE AT RIZAL, LUZON, PHILIPPINES ABOUT 4 MILES FROM THE CITY OF MANILA. HE WAS PART OF THE 17TH PURSUIT SQUADRON AND ITS 15 NORTH AMERICAN A-27 FIGHTER AIRCRAFT. ON DECEMBER 8, 1941 FOUR HOURS AFTER PEARL HARBOR WAS ATTACKED, JAPANESE AIRCRAFT ATTACKED NICHOLS FIELD DESTROYING ALL 15 A-27 AIRCRAFT, NEARLY DESTROYING THE ENTIRE BASE. ONE LARGE BOMB EXPLODED AT THE FRONT OF ONE HANGAR WHERE HE AND HIS COMRADES WERE FRANTICALLY UNPACKING .50 CALIBER MACHINE GUNS FOR DEFENSE. ALL WERE KILLED INSTANTLY. ACCORDING TO THE NOTIFICATION LETTER GIVEN TO HIS FAMILY, HE WAS KILLED BY AN EXPLODING BOMB WHICH TORE HIS BODY IN HALF. HE WAS BURIED A SHORT WHILE LATER NEAR THE BASE. AFTER THE WAR, HIS REMAINS WERE RETURNED HOME. ON OCTOBER 8, 1948 HE WAS BURIED WITH FULL MILITARY HONORS AT THE CHATTANOOGA NATIONAL CEMETERY, CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.