World War II Honoree

Gordon M. Graham

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Taft, California

Honored By

Stanley C. Barrett

Relationship

Friend

AFTER A SERIES OF ASSIGNMENTS AS GUNNERY AND INSTRUCTOR PILOT AT VARIOUS BASES, HE JOINED THE 355TH FIGHTER GROUP IN THE 8TH AIR FORCE IN EUROPE IN AUGUST 1944. HE COMMANDED THE 354TH FIGHTER SQUADRON FROM OCTOBER 1944 UNTIL JUNE 1945 WHEN HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE 361ST FIGHTER GROUP TO COMMAND THE 374TH FIGHTER SQUADRON. HE ASSUMED COMMAND OF THE 361ST FIGHTER GROUP IN AUGUST 1945, AND BY THE END OF THE WAR IN EUROPE, HE HAD FLOWN 73 COMBAT MISSIONS IN P-51 MUSTANG FIGHTER AIRCRAFT, AND HAD BECOME A TRIPLE ACE WITH 16 AND ONE-HALF ENEMY AIRCRAFT TO HIS CREDIT, AND IN ADDITION, HE HAD ONE PROBABLE AND TEN DAMAGED. HE WAS ASSISTANT CHIEF OF STAFF FOR OPERATIONS, V111 FIGHTER COMMAND, FROM OCTOBER 1945 UNTIL FEBRUARY 1946. HE RECEIVED 55 DECORATIONS AND SERVICE AWARDS INCLUDING THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL, SILVER STAR, LEGION OF MERIT, DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS WITH OAK LEAF CLUSTER, AIR MEDAL WITH 27 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, JOINT SERVICE COMMENDATION MEDAL, AIR FORCE COMMENDATION MEDAL, PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION EMBLEM, AND NUMEROUS OTHER CITATIONS AND AWARDS.