World War II Honoree

John Lawrence Cockerham

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Jefferson, North Carolina

Honored By

Larry Dean Cockerham

Relationship

Son

TECHNICAL SERGEANT IN THE U.S. ARMY AIR CORPS. SERVED IN NORTH AFRICA AND ITALY AS AN AIRCRAFT INSPECTOR DOING MAINTENANCE ON BOMBERS AND FIGHTERS IN SERVICE AGAINST THE GERMAN AIR FORCE. INDUCTED APRIL 11, 1942 AT FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA. GRADUATED FROM STEWART TECHNICAL SCHOOL ON SEPTEMBER 12, 1942. FROM MARCH 5, 1943 TO MARCH 25, 1943, HE WAS ONBOARD SHIP BOUND FOR THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN. HE SPENT SOME TIME IN NORTH AFRICA BEFORE THE ALLIED FORCES COULD SECURE THE AIRFIELD AT NAPLES, ITALY. THERE HE REMAINED FOR THE DURATION OF THE WAR. WHILE STILL STATIONED IN NAPLES, HE LISTENED TO THE RADIO BROADCAST BY WINSTON CHURCHILL DECLARING VICTORY IN EUROPE. ARRIVED BACK IN THE U.S. ON NOVEMBER 17, 1945 AND WAS DISCHARGED FROM THE ARMY AIR CORPS ON NOVEMBER 21, 1945. RECEIVED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, SO 178 HEADQUARTERS AFGD 1, AND THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH TWO BRONZE SERVICE STARS. ARMY SERIAL NUMBER 34259324.