World War II Honoree

Gilbert Guy Francis

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Dearborn Heights, Michigan

Honored By

Nancy C. Pennington

Relationship

Daughter

JOINED ON JUNE 25, 1946 AND WAS SENT TO SELFRIDGE FIELD NEAR MT. CLEMENS, MICHIGAN FOR A FEW DAYS BEFORE BEING TRANSFERRED TO FORT SHERIDAN, NEAR CHICAGO, ILLINOIS FOR PROCESSING. BASIC TRAINING WAS AT SAAC FIELD, NEAR SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. BECAME A FLIGHT LEADER AND WAS THEN STATIONED AT SHAW FIELD, SOUTH CAROLINA, WHICH LATER WAS RENAMED SHAW AIR FORCE BASE. HE BECAME A CLASSIFICATION SPECIALIST AND WOULD ADMINISTER KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITY TESTS, INTERVIEW NEW ARRIVALS FOR ASSIGNMENT TO THE VARIOUS SQUADRONS, SELECT APPLICANTS TO ATTEND TECHNICAL SCHOOLS, AND SELECT MEN FOR OVERSEAS ASSIGNMENTS WHEN REQUESTED BY HIGHER HEADQUARTERS.