World War II Honoree

Donald W. Graves

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Peoria, Illinois

Honored By

Donald Graves

Relationship

Self

ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS ON NOVEMBER 1, 1940 FOR HAWAII AT THE HICKAM FIELD AND TOOK BASIC TRAINING. IN EARLY DECEMBER I HAD AN OPERATION AT TRIPLER GENERAL HOSPITAL. A GROUP OF PATIENTS THAT WERE ABLE TO BE UP AND AROUND WERE SITTING IN A SCREENED PORCH WHEN WE SAW BLACK SMOKE FROM PEARL HARBOR, WE HEARD THE RADIO ANNOUNCE FOR EVERYBODY OFF THE STREET, WE WERE BEING ATTACKED BY THE ENEMY (WHAT ENEMY, I THOUGHT). PLANES WERE FLYING SO LOW WE COULD SEE THEIR FACES. PATIENTS THAT WERE UP WERE ASSIGNED TO BE LITTER BEARERS AND CARRY DEAD AND BADLY BURNED SOLDIERS AND SAILORS TO A RED CROSS BUILDING WHICH SERVED AS A TEMPORARY MORGUE. IN EARLY 1942 THE SQUADRON WAS MOVED FROM HICKAM FIELD TO BELLOWS FIELD. IN SEPTEMBER 1942 WE LEFT FOR THE SOUTH PACIFIC. ESPRITU SANTOS WAS OUR HOME BASE AND WE FLEW MANY MISSIONS FROM THERE. AFTER THE AIR FIELD ON GUADALCANAL WAS SECURE, WE FLEW OUR MISSIONS FROM THERE AND WE FLEW TWO MISSIONS ON THANKSGIVING OF 1942. EARLY IN DECEMBER WE WERE GIVEN A 10 DAY REST PERIOD IN AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND. DURING THIS TIME I CAME DOWN WITH MALARIA AND IN MARCH 1945 I WAS SENT BACK TO THE UNITED STATES FOR FURTHER TREATMENT.