World War II Honoree

Leonard Graves Herron, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Stillwater, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE AND SERVED AS A PRIVATE FIRST CLASS IN THE AIR TRANSPORT COMMAND. COMPLETED TRAINING AS AN AIRPLANE RADIO OPERATOR AT SCOTT FIELD AT BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS IN SPRING, 1944 AND THEN ASSIGNED TO SMYRNA ARMY AIRFIELD AT SMYRNA, TENNESSEE. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER AS A RADIO OPERATOR-GUNNER ABOARD A B-26 'MARAUDER' MEDIUM BOMBER. AS A RADIO OPERATOR, OPERATED, MAINTAINED AND REPAIRED AIRCRAFT RADIOS, DIRECTION FINDER, AND RADIO COMPASS IN FLIGHT. RELAYED INFORMATION BY RADIO TO GROUND-BASED PERSONNEL AND RECEIVED WEATHER DATA. ALSO SERVED AS AN AERIAL GUNNER WHEN UNDER ATTACK IN FLIGHT. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.