Print plaque Printing Tips

World War II Honoree

World War II Veteran

John R. Harrell

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Louisville, Illinois

Honored By

Robert Medley Gatewood

Branch Seal
Activity During WWII

ENLISTED IN 1942: VOLUNTEERED AND WAS ACCEPTED FOR THE AVIATION CADET PROGRAM. AFTER TRAINING AT SEVERAL BASES, GRADUATED AT LUBBOCK FIELD TEXAS IN 1943 AND ENTERED ACTIVE DUTY AS A RATED PILOT AND OFFICER IN THE AIR CORPS. SERVED STATESIDE AS AN INSTRUCTOR PILOT IN A VARIETY OF AIRCRAFT, THE LARGEST OF WHICH WAS THE B-25 ‘MITCHELL’ MEDIUM BOMBER, UNTIL THE WAR WAS OVER. EARNED HIS PILOT WINGS, THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY AND HIS UNIT, THE 3706TH ARMY AIR FORCE BASE UNIT AT SHEPHERD FIELD IN WICHITA, TEXAS, AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT ON 19 OCTOBER 1945.