World War II Honoree

Curney Joseph Dronet

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Erath, Louisiana

Honored By

COL (Ret) Calvin J. Washispack & CW5 (Ret) Boni Suire

FOLLOWING THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR ON DECEMBER 7, 1941, WENT TO WORK AT INGALLS SHIPYARD, PASCAGOULA, MISSISSIPPI AS A COST CLERK UNTIL CALLED BY THE MISSISSIPPI DRAFT BOARD FOR INDUCTION. INDUCTED IN THE U.S. ARMY AIR CORPS ON MAY 1, 1943. HE HAD THE OPTION OF JOINING A FRENCH INTERPRETERS UNIT, AS HE WAS FLUENT IN FRENCH, BUT SELECTED INSTEAD TO BECOME AN AVIATION CADET AND EARN HIS WINGS AS A PILOT. HIS TRAINING BEGAN WITH A 5 MONTH TOUR AT SAINT CANISIUS COLLEGE IN BUFFALO, NEW YORK, THEN CLASSIFICATION AT NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE WHERE HE WAS SELECTED FOR BOMBARDIER AND NAVIGATION TRAINING. HE WENT TO PREFLIGHT SCHOOL AT MAXWELL FIELD, ALABAMA, THEN TO MIDLAND ARMY AIR BASE, MIDLAND, TEXAS FOR BOMBARDIER AND NAVIGATION. HE RECEIVED HIS BOMBARDIER WINGS AND WAS COMMISSIONED A 2ND LIEUTENANT ON SEPTEMBER 2, 1944. HE GRADUATED FROM CLASS 44-12 AS THE THIRD RANKING STUDENT IN A CLASS OF 200. HE WAS RETAINED IN MIDLAND AS A BOMBARDIER AND NAVIGATION FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR UNTIL THE WAR ENDED, THEN WAS SEPARATED AND ASSIGNED TO THE ARMY AIR CORP RESERVE ON OCTOBER 12, 1945.