World War II Honoree

James Edward Wehrell

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Midland Park, New Jersey

Honored By

Michael A. Wehrell

Relationship

Nephew

ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR FORCES ON 9/25/42 AT NEWARK, NEW JERSEY. AFTER BASIC TRAINING AND SUPPLY TRAINING, HE SERVED IN THE SOUTHWESTERN PACIFIC AREA FROM 7/6/43 TO 12/5/45 AS A SUPPLY TECHNICIAN (MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY 826) WITH THE 376TH AIR SERVICE SQUADRON, 63RD AIR SERVICE GROUP, 7TH AIR FORCE. INITIALLY ASSIGNED TO LAE, PAPUA NEW GUINEA IN JULY 1943, HE SUBSEQUENTLY WAS REASSIGNED TO MOROTAI ISLAND OF THE MALUKU ISLAND GROUP IN THE DUTCH EAST INDIES IN SEPTEMBER 1944 AND LATER TO MINDORO AND LEYTE, THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS; IWO JIMA AND OKINAWA WHERE HE SERVED UNTIL AFTER THE JAPANESE SURRENDER ON 9/2/45. HE RETURNED TO THE U.S. ON 12/5/45 AND WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED FROM THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE ON 1/16/46.