World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Harold K. West
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Louisville, Illinois
Honored By
Robert Medley Gatewood
ENLISTED AND ENTERED ACTIVE SERVICE ON 14 AUGUST 1941 AT PEORIA, ILLINOIS. AFTER BASIC TRAINING, ATTENDED THE AIR CORPS’ ELECTRICIAN SPECIALIST TRAINING SCHOOL AND LATER BECAME AN AIRPLANE FLIGHT CHIEF (750). DEPARTED THE CONTINENTAL U.S. ON 5 MAY 1943 BOUND FOR THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. PARTICIPATED IN THE NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, ARDENNES, RHINELAND, CENTRAL EUROPE AND AIR OFFENSIVE EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. EARNED THE DISTINGUISHED UNIT BADGE WITH 1 OAK LEAF CLUSTER, THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 SILVER AND 1 BRONZE BATTLE STAR AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL. RETURNED STATESIDE ON 25 JUNE 1945 ASSIGNED TO THE 2215TH ARMY AIR FORCE BASE UNIT AT PUEBLO, COLORADO. HONORABLE DISCHARGE AS A MASTER SERGEANT ON 16 SEPTEMBER, 1945 AT FORT SHERIDAN, ILLINOIS.