World War II Honoree

Emmet Vaughn Mittlebeeler

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Louisville, Kentucky

Honored By

Edward L. Blanton

Relationship

Friend

ENLISTED AT FORT THOMAS, KENTUCKY ON AUGUST 7, 1942. HONORABLY DISCHARGED ON JULY 17, 1945. SERVICE NUMBER 15116733. IN THE FALL OF 1942 HE ATTENDED AMERICAN CRYPTOGRAPHIC SCHOOL AT CHANUTE FIELD, ILLINOIS AND OVERSEAS REPLACEMENT TRAINING CENTER, ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY. SERVED WITH THE 57TH FIGHTER GROUP, 343RD SIGNAL CORPS WING, 12TH TACTICAL AIR COMMAND AND 303RD COUNTER INTELLIGENCE CORPS AS A CRYPTOGRAPHER AND COUNTER INTELLIGENCE AGENT (GERMAN LANGUAGE SPEAKER). IN DECEMBER 1942, HE WAS SENT OVERSEAS TO AFRICA VIA PUERTO RICO, BRITISH GUIANA AND BRAZIL. HE SAW SERVICE IN LIBERIA, GOLD COAST, NIGERIA, SUDAN, EGYPT, LIBYA AND TUNISIA. WHILE IN EGYPT HE ATTENDED ROYAL AIR FORCE CODE AND CYPHER SCHOOL AT HELIOPOLIS. HE PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION OF SICILY AND SAW SERVICE IN SOUTHERN ITALY AND CORSICA. HE ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION OF SOUTHERN FRANCE AND BY CHRISTMAS 1944 WAS AT SAVERNE, FRANCE (ALSACE). HE ENTERED GERMANY AT SAARBRUCKEN WITH HIS UNIT IN MARCH 1945 AND WAS POSTED AT VARIOUS POINTS IN SOUTHERN GERMANY FOR THE DURATION OF THE EUROPEAN WAR, WITH BRIEF STOPS IN AUSTRIA, LUXEMBOURG, MOROCCO, THE AZORES AND BERMUDA. RECEIVED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL WITH 7 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL.