World War II Honoree

Richard Alden Pittman

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Flora, Illinois

Honored By

Robert Medley Gatewood

ENLISTED AND ENTERED ACTIVE SERVICE ON MARCH 14, 1942 AT PEORIA, ILLINOIS. AFTER BASIC TRAINING, ATTENDED RADIO OPERATOR AND MECHANICS SCHOOL AT SCOTT FIELD, ILLINOIS, AND AERIAL GUNNERY SCHOOL AT WENDOVER FIELD, UTAH. DEPARTED THE CONTINENTAL U.S. ON MARCH 30, 1943 BOUND FOR THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. BASED IN ENGLAND, FLEW BOMBING MISSIONS AS AN AERIAL GUNNER IN THE AIR OFFENSIVE EUROPE CAMPAIGN WITH ELEMENTS OF THE ‘MIGHTY’ 8TH AIR FORCE THROUGH DECEMBER 26, 1944, WHEN HE COMPLETED HIS COMBAT TOUR. ASSIGNED TO SQUADRON T, 337TH ARMY AIR FORCES BASE UNIT AT DREW FIELD, TAMPA, FLORIDA; INVOLVED IN TRAINING FOR THE DURATION. EARNED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, THE AIR MEDAL WITH THREE OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, THE AVIATION BADGE, THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH ONE BRONZE BATTLE STAR AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AS A TECHNICAL SERGEANT ON SEPTEMBER 30, 1945.