World War II Honoree

Dewey Grant Bennett, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

JOINED THE MARINES AND BEGAN FLIGHT TRAINING AT SMITH REYNOLDS AIRPORT IN WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA. ATTENDED NAVAL PRE-FLIGHT SCHOOL AT CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA. ALSO SERVED IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE AND PENSACOLA, FLORIDA. ONE OF 50 NAVY PILOTS SELECTED FOR SPECIAL TRAINING AT SANFORD, FLORIDA TO FLY BRITISH 'MOSQUITO' AIRCRAFT, A TWIN-ENGINE PLANE MADE OF PLYWOOD DESIGNED TO DEFEAT AND PENETRATE ENEMY RADAR. SERVED AS A FLIGHT COMMANDER IN A PHOTOGRAPHIC SQUADRON AT CHERRY POINT, NORTH CAROLINA, AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR IN C-46 'COMMANDO' TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT AT EL CENTRO, CALIFORNIA. SERVED IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER AT EWA MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IN HAWAII, AND IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, ON OKINAWA, AND IN CHINA AT THE CLOSE OF THE WAR. CONTINUED IN RESERVE SERVICE AFTER THE WAR AND WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RANK OF CAPTAIN.