World War II Honoree

Harold B. Penne

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Winner, South Dakota

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

HE ENLISTED IN THE MARINE CORPS IN 1940. AFTER HE COMPLETED PILOT TRAINING IN 1941, HE WAS COMMISSIONED A MARINE SECOND LIEUTENANT AND ASSIGNED TO THE NAVAL AIR STATION AT PENSACOLA, FLORIDA., WHERE HE WAS AN INSTRUCTOR. IN 1943, HE JOINED A MARINE DIVE-BOMBING SQUADRON IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC AND SERVED TWO COMBAT TOURS IN THE GUADALCANAL-SOLOMON ISLANDS CAMPAIGN. ASSIGNED TO COMMAND THE SQUADRON, HE LED THE ATTACK ON BOUGAINVILLEA ISLAND. RETURNING WITH THE SQUADRON TO THE MARINE CORPS AIR STATION AT EL TORO, CALIFORNIA HE BEGAN A PROGRAM THAT TRAINED PILOTS FOR COMBAT OPERATIONS. AFTER A SERIES OF TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENTS, HE RETURNED TO THE WESTERN PACIFIC THEATER. AT THE END OF THE WAR, HE JOINED THE STAFF OF THE 2ND MARINE AIRCRAFT WING ON GUAM. HIS MILITARY DECORATIONS INCLUDE THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, THE AIR MEDAL, AND THE PACIFIC THEATER CAMPAIGN RIBBON WITH THREE STARS.