World War II Honoree

Emile Gonnet

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

New Orleans, Louisiana

Honored By

Susan Darlene Burnham Gonnet & James Gonnet

Relationship

Niece & Nephew

HE JOINED THE ARMY AIR CORPS AFTER THE OUTBREAK OF WORLD WAR II AND RECEIVED HIS PILOT TRAINING IN ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO. HE FLEW 47 MISSIONS OVER GERMANY DURING THE WAR AND WAS SHOT DOWN OVER CZECHOSLOVAKIA. WOUNDED WITH SHRAPNEL AND WAS BEATEN BY HIS CAPTORS, HE SERVED NEARLY A YEAR AS A POW IN A GERMAN STALAG BEFORE BEING LIBERATED BY ALLIED TROOPS. HE WAS THE RECIPIENT OF THE AIR MEDAL, THE PURPLE HEART AND SEVERAL EUROPEAN THEATER AND KOREAN UNIT CITATIONS.