World War II Honoree

Arthur Edwin Barks

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Providence, Rhode Island

Honored By

Elsie Barks Naylor

Relationship

Sister

2ND LIEUTENANT. INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY AIR CORPS ON MARCH 15, 1942 FROM PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND. HE WAS AWARDED POSTHUMOUSLY THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS (THE ONLY MEMBER OF HIS GROUP TO EVER RECEIVE THIS HIGH AWARD) AND THE PURPLE HEART. DURING HIS TRAINING PERIOD AT SAN MARCOS AIR FIELD HE ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS A STUDENT OF THE MILITARY AVIATION AND BECAME AN ACE BOMBER NAVIGATOR. HE WAS ASSIGNED IN 1943 AS A NAVIGATOR IN THE 8TH AIR FORCE, 445TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP STATIONED IN TIBENHAM, NORFOLK, ENGLAND. WHILE SERVING AS A MEMBER OF A B-24 BOMBER CREW IN THE EUROPEAN THEATRE OF OPERATION. HE LOST HIS LIFE ON DECEMBER, 22 1943 ON A MISSION OVER OSNABRUCK, GERMANY. HE WAS PAINFULLY AND MORTALLY WOUNDED BY ENEMY GUN FIRE AND REMAINED AT HIS POST LONG ENOUGH TO CHART A RETURN COURSE TO THEIR AIR BASE IN TIBENHAM, NORFOLK ENGLAND. THE PLANE WAS LOSING ALTITUDE RAPIDLY,THE CREW MEMBERS HAD TO LIGHTEN THE LOAD OF THEIR CRIPPLED PLANE AND IT WAS NECESSARY TO JETTISON HIS BODY INTO THE NORTH SEA LAYING TO REST THE REMAINS OF AN AMERICAN OF EXEMPLARY COURAGE AND OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF MILITARY TRAINING AND A MARTYR TO THE MEMBERS OF HIS CREW. HAD THE LOAD NOT BEEN LIGHTENED THAT LAST LITTLE BIT, THE ENTIRE CREW MIGHT HAVE BEEN BURIED IN THE NORTH SEA WITH THE NAVIGATOR. THE CREW FELT CERTAIN THAT HE WOULD'VE WANTED THEM TO TAKE ACTION THE WAY THEY DID. IT WAS FELT THAT IN LIFE AND IN DEATH HE HAD SAVED THEIR LIVES.