World War II Honoree

James Francis Eckhart

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Raymond E. Garwood

Relationship

Nephew

STAFF SERGEANT. ENLISTED IN SEPTEMBER OF 1943 FOR AVIATION CADET TRAINING IN MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA. HIS TRAINING WAS DISCONTINUED DUE TO MEDICAL REASONS AND WHILE AWAITING HIS NEXT ASSIGNMENT, HE WAS A DRILL INSTRUCTOR TRAINING 2 FLIGHTS OF RECRUITS IN EARLY 1944. NEXT WAS ELECTRONICS SCHOOL AT CHANUTE FIELD, ILLINOIS BECOMING A RADAR MECHANIC AND EVENTUALLY STATIONED IN LOUISIANA AS NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER IN CHARGE OF AIR TRANSPORTABLE LONG RANGE RADAR STATIONS. HONORABLY DISCHARGED FROM MAXWELL FIELD, ALABAMA IN APRIL OF 1946.