World War II Honoree

Joseph H. Warnick

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Wayne County, Michigan

Honored By

Raymond J. Linder

Relationship

Crew Member Bombardier

AERIAL GUNNER. ENLISTED IN THE U.S. AIR FORCE IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN ON OCTOBER 5, 1942. ATTENDED GUNNERY SCHOOL AND FOLLOWING THAT WAS ASSIGNED AS A WAIST GUNNER ON A B-24 BOMBER AT WESTOVER FIELD, MASSACHUSETTS. COMPLETED B-24 CREW TRAINING AT CHATHAM FIELD, SAVANNA, GEORGIA WITH 9 OTHER CREW MEMBERS. AFTER CREW TRAINING ASSIGNED FOR COMBAT ON A B-24, CREW 29 IN THE PACIFIC THEATER LATE SPRING 1945. TRAVELED ACROSS COUNTRY TO MATHER FIELD, SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA THE PORT OF EMBARKATION. ORDERED TO FLY A REPLACEMENT B-24 TO BIAK, NEW GUINEA AND FURTHER REASSIGNMENT. FLEW TO NEW GUINEA VIA HONOLULU, CANTON ISLAND, TARAWA AND LOS NEGROS ISLANDS. ASSIGNED TO B-24 BOMBARDMENT GROUP 22 LOCATED ON OKINAWA. FLEW TO OKINAWA VIA MANILA AND JOINED BOMBARDMENT GROUP 22. SERVED AT OKINAWA AS PART OF OCCUPATION FORCES. EARNED THE AMERICAN THEATER MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN RIBBON WITH BATTLE STAR, JAPAN OCCUPATION MEDAL AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL.