World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Harold E. Golden
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Flora, Illinois
Honored By
Robert Medley Gatewood
ENTERED ACTIVE SERVICE AS A DRAFTEE ON APRIL 8, 1943 AT CAMP GRANT, ILLINOIS. SELECTED FOR THE AIR CORPS; COMPLETED BASIC TRAINING; ATTENDED SERVICE SCHOOLS AT AMARILLO, TEXAS AND CHANUTE, ILLINOIS; AND QUALIFIED IN THE MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY OF AIRPLANE ELECTRICAL-MECHANICAL GUNNER (1685). DEPARTED THE CONTINENTAL U.S. ON NOVEMBER 10, 1944 BOUND FOR THE CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER OF OPERATIONS. SERVED AS AN AERIAL GUNNER WITH OPERATIONAL ELEMENTS OF 20TH AIR FORCE IN THE CHINA, CENTRAL BURMA, BURMA-INDIA, AND AIR OFFENSIVE JAPAN CAMPAIGNS. RETURNED TO THE U.S. TO THE 1505TH AIR BASE UNIT AT MATHER FIELD, CALIFORNIA. EARNED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, AIR MEDAL WITH TWO BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH FOUR BRONZE BATTLE STARS, AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AS A SERGEANT ON OCTOBER 24, 1945 AT THE SEPARATION CENTER, SCOTT FIELD, ILLINOIS.