World War II Honoree

Kenneth A. Sederquist

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Preemption, Illinois

Honored By

Dolores Sederquist

Relationship

Wife

WWII (Sept 1, 1939-June 29, 1940): NAS Pensacola Flight School “Naval Aviation Pilot” training, designation (3/12/40) and under instruction. (4/10/40-December 7, 1941): Aviation Chief Metalsmith, Naval Aviation Pilot, PBY-5 seaplane, VP-71 (Ex VP-51), North Atlantic Neutrality Patrol/Battle of the Atlantic: Recon for U-boats/report locations to allies for destruction; Convoy Escorts for supply ships crossing the Atlantic Ocean to England. 12/8/41: VP-71 ordered to get to Pearl Harbor ASAP. Squadron left NAS Argentia in Newfoundland on 12/9/41 – layovers at 6 NAS’s to prep crew and aircraft for combat: Quonset Point, Norfolk, Pensacola, Corpus Christi, San Diego, and Alameda – where extra fuel tanks were installed on VP-71’s PBY-5’s for the 18.3-hour flight to Pearl Harbor. PACIFIC WAR (12/26/41- 3/6/44): Recon over Hawaii for 4 mos. 4/13/42: Honorable Discharge & immediate reenlistment/promotion to Chief Aviation Pilot and (temp) Officer/Ensign, Naval Aviator. 4/27/42: VP-71 transferred to South Pacific, flew PBY-5’s and, in 1943, PBY-5A's (amphibious seaplanes); conducted search, patrol and anti-sub operations; duties included night patrols as a VP-71 "Black Cat." 8/1/42: Awarded US Navy Good Conduct Pin. 3/1/43: Commissioned (temp) Lieutenant jg. Tour of Duty in South Pacific concluded 3/6/44. Returned stateside permanently, trained pilots for 3 years. Enlisted Ranks concluded during his final Honorable Discharge and immediate reenlistment/Commission to (temp) Lieutenant Commander in 1946. Assigned as Commanding Officer of FASron 116 at NAS Barber’s Point, Oahu, in 1947 for several months until it was decommissioned, since it was for Pacific War operations. Temporary Officer Commissions made permanent in 1947. He served in the US Navy from 1934-1961.