World War II Honoree

Gordon Eldred Hackbarth

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Honored By

Robert G. Montgomery

Relationship

Son-in-law

ENTERED BASIC TRAINING JUNE 1943 AT SHEPHERD FIELD IN WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS AND SENT TO SAN MARCOS, TEXAS AT THE SOUTHWEST TEXAS STATE COLLEGE TRAINING DETACHMENT. AFTER COMPLETION OF TERM, CLASSIFIED AS NAVIGATOR AT THE SAN ANTONIO CLASSIFICATION CENTER. SENT TO ELLINGTON FIELD IN HOUSTON, TEXAS FOR PRE FLIGHT TRAINING, THEN ON TO LAREDO ARMY AIR BASE FOR GUNNERY SCHOOL. AFTERWARD WAS ASSIGNED TO HONDO, TEXAS FOR AERIAL NAVIGATION SCHOOL. GRADUATED ON OCTOBER 2, 1944 AND RECEIVED APPOINTMENT AS FLIGHT OFFICER. NEXT ASSIGNMENT WAS RADAR SCHOOL AT LANGLEY FIELD IN VIRGINIA. UPON GRADUATING WAS SENT TO ITALY AND BEGAN ASSIGNMENT AS A RADAR NAVIGATOR WITH 154TH WEATHER RECONNAISSANCE SQUADRON OF THE 15TH AIR FORCE OUT OF BARI, ITALY. COMPLETED 29 COMBAT MISSIONS AND WAS RECOGNIZED FOR COMPLETING THE SQUADRONS LONGEST MISSION ON RECORD. FOR THIS, WAS AWARDED DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS. WHEN WAR ENDED, WAS ASSIGNED TO WILL ROGERS FIELD IN OKLAHOMA CITY AS AN INSTRUCTOR. RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY AT TRUAX FIELD IN MADISON, WISCONSIN ON NOVEMBER 17, 1945.