World War II Honoree

Aaron C. Bass

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Jackson, Tennessee

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

WHILE EARNING A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING FROM TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE IN ALABAMA, HE JOINED THE ROTC AND RECEIVED FLIGHT TRAINING WITH THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN. HE LEARNED TO FLY PIPER CUB PLANES AND HOPED TO SERVE WITH THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN IN COMBAT DURING WWII. INSTEAD THE ARMY ASSIGNED HIM TO A SIGNAL BATTALION, AND HE USED HIS ENGINEERING SKILLS TO BUILD SIGNAL LINES IN FRANCE, BELGIUM AND GERMANY. HE ALSO WORKED AT A NAVAL AIRCRAFT FACTORY IN PHILADELPHIA AND WAS AN ENGINEER WITH THE NAVAL AIR DEVELOPMENT CENTER THAT TESTED HIGH-ALTITUDE EQUIPMENT FOR PLANES AND SATELLITES.