World War II Honoree

Ronald Ray Harrington

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Live Oak, California

Honored By

Charles L. Harrington

Relationship

Son

ENLISTED IN THE U.S. ARMY FOR WWII AND QUALIFIED FOR ACCEPTANCE INTO THE AIR CADET PROGRAM. PORTIONS OF HIS FLIGHT TRAINING WERE CONDUCTED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA AND AT THE 'WEST POINT OF THE AIR' IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. UPON HIS COMMISSIONING AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT AND QUALIFICATION AS AN ARMY AIR FORCES PILOT, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE ARMY FERRY COMMAND. HIS DUTIES INCLUDED PILOTING A VARIETY OF AIRCRAFT FROM PRODUCTION FACTORIES TO ARMY AIRFIELDS WITHIN THE U.S. DURING THAT TIME, HE ALSO SERVED AS AN INSTRUCTOR PILOT. IN APRIL 1945, TRANSFERRED TO THE CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATRE OF OPERATIONS. EN ROUTE TO HIS NEW BASE AT CHABUA, INDIA, HE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO STOPOVER IN EGYPT, IRAN AND INDIA. THIS TOUR OF SERVICE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT SOME OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST LANDMARKS, INCLUDING THE GREAT PYRAMIDS AND THE TAJ MAHAL. FROM CHABUA, FLEW NUMEROUS MISSIONS AS A COMMAND PILOT OF C-46 AIRCRAFT TRANSPORTING SOLDIERS AND WAR MATERIEL ACROSS THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAIN RANGE INTO SOUTHERN CHINA. FLYING 'THE HUMP', THESE AIRCREWS BRAVED TREACHEROUS FLYING CONDITIONS IN AN EFFORT CRUCIAL TO THE DEFEAT OF ENEMY FORCES OPERATING ON THE ASIAN MAINLAND. HE CONCLUDED HIS MILITARY SERVICE IN 1945 AS A FIRST LIEUTENANT. HIS MILITARY AWARDS AND DECORATIONS INCLUDE THE AIR MEDAL, THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL, THE ARMY PILOT BADGE AND THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA AIR FORCE PILOT BADGE.