World War II Honoree

George Edmund Myers

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Flora, Illinois

Honored By

Robert M. Gatewood

Relationship

Friend

HE ENLISTED IN JULY 1941 AND VOLUNTEERED FOR THE AVIATION STUDENT PROGRAM FOR ENLISTED PERSONNEL. HE WAS ACCEPTED FOR CLASS 42-H FLYING TRAINING BEGINNING IN FEBRUARY 1942 AND GRADUATED AS A 'FLYING STAFF SERGEANT AND WAS RATED PILOT IN AUGUST 1942. HE SURVIVED THE SUBMARINE TORPEDO SINKING OF THE FREIGHTER THE USS BUCHANAN, WHICH WAS EN ROUTE TO THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. HE WAS PICKED UP AFTER 5 DAYS AFLOAT IN A LIFEBOAT AND TAKEN SAFELY TO ENGLAND. HE ARRIVED AT FIRST NORTH AFRICA STATION OF ASSIGNMENT NEAR ORAN, MOROCCO. AFTER THEATER FAMILIARIZATION TRAINING, HE MOVED TO THE FRONT AREA NEAR KASSERINE PASS, TUNISIA AND BEGAN FLYING COMBAT MISSIONS. ON JUNE 3, 1943 HE WAS PRESENTED A BATTLEFIELD APPOINTMENT AS A LIEUTENANT AND WENT ON TO FLY IN COMBAT OVER MUCH OF EUROPE RANGING FROM FRANCE AS FAR EAST AS THE UKRAINE. HE EARNED A DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS MEDAL, 7 AIR MEDALS, THE AMERICAN DEFENSE MEDAL AND THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN- MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 4 BATTLE STARS BY WAR'S END. AFTER COMPLETING A TOTAL OF 50 COMBAT MISSIONS IN P-38, P-39 AND P-51 FIGHTERS FOR 12TH AIR FORCE AND 15TH AIR FORCE IN TURN HE RETURNED TO THE U.S. TO TRANSITION NEWLY GRADUATED PILOTS INTO HIGH PERFORMANCE FIGHTER AIRCRAFT. HE EVENTUALLY RETIRED AS A COLONEL WITH THE U.S. AIR FORCE..