World War II Honoree

H. C. Banks

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Thornton, Texas

Honored By

James A. Banks

Relationship

Son

SERGEANT, SERIAL NUMBER 6959557. JOINED THE REGULAR ARMY MAY 23, 1940 AND WAS SENT TO THE 59TH ORDNANCE AMMUNITION COMPANY AT FORT SILL, OKLAHOMA. HE WAS STATIONED THERE UNTIL NOVEMBER 1941, WHEN HE WAS SENT TO ABERDEEN, MARYLAND TO ATTEND AN ARMY AMMUNITION SCHOOL. HE WAS ATTENDING SCHOOL WHEN WAR WAS DECLARED. HIS COMPANY LEFT FOR CALIFORNIA DECEMBER 11, 1941 TO SET UP AMMUNITION DUMPS TO ESTABLISH THE WESTERN DEFENSE COMMAND. ON MARCH 19, 1942, HE SAILED FOR OVERSEAS DUTY AND LANDED AT MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, APRIL 8, 1942. HE WORKED ON DETACHED SERVICE IN MELBOURNE GETTING AMMUNITION OFF THE SHIPS AND CONSIGNING IT TO HIS COMPANY BY RAIL UNTIL THE BUNA MISSION CAMPAIGN IN NEW GUINEA. HE WENT INTO THIS CAMPAIGN ATTACHED TO THE 32ND DIVISION AND LATER WAS ATTACHED TO THE 41ST (RAINBOW) DIVISION. HE CONTRACTED MALARIA 9 TIMES AND WAS EVACUATED BACK TO AUSTRALIA BECAUSE OF CLIMATE CONDITIONS. AFTER 32 MONTHS OVERSEAS, HE WAS SENT TO THE U.S. ON TEMPORARY DUTY FOR 30 DAYS. ON JANUARY 20, 1945, HE LEFT FOR OVERSEAS DUTY THE SECOND TIME. THIS TIME, HE LANDED AT HOLLANDIA, NEW GUINEA AND FROM THERE WAS SENT TO LEYTE, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. HE WAS CHIEF CLERK IN THE BASE T ORDNANCE OFFICE AT LEYTE AND WHEN BASE T WAS DEACTIVATED, HE WAS SENT TO MANILA AS THE 1ST SERGEANT OF THE 229TH BASE ORDNANCE DEPOT, AFWESPAC (AIR FORCES WESTERN PACIFIC). ON JUNE 19, 1945, HE RECEIVED ORDERS TO COME HOME FOR A DISCHARGE. HIS BOAT LEFT MANILA JULY 7, 1945 AND HE REACHED THE U.S. FOR THE SECOND TIME AUGUST 9, 1945. HE WAS SENT TO FORT SAM HOUSTON, TEXAS WHERE HE RECEIVED HIS DISCHARGE ON AUGUST 16, 1945. AWARDED THE PRE-PEARL HARBOR MEDAL (AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL), GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE STARS, AND THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL WITH ONE BRONZE STAR. HE WAS IN THE SERVICE 5 YEARS AND 3 MONTHS. OUT OF THIS TIME, HE WAS OVERSEAS 40 MONTHS.