World War II Honoree

Derward Blake 'Hap' Harper

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Garner, North Carolina

Honored By

Margaret Harper Hamilton

SERVED IN INDIA TRAINING CHINESE PILOTS. HE WAS THEN ASSIGNED TO CHINA AS PART OF A COMPOSITE CHINESE-AMERICAN WING OF THE 14TH U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE, 1ST BOMBARDMENT GROUP. HE SERVED AS THE SQUADRON OPERATIONS OFFICER. HE ALSO FLEW B-25 MITCHELL BOMBERS. NOMINATED FOR A DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS FOR AN ACTION IN WHICH HE FLEW HIS BOMBER LIKE A FIGHTER PURSUIT PLANE AND SHOT DOWN A JAPANESE BOMBER USING “DOGFIGHT” TACTICS. IT WAS LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE JAPANESE BOMBER CARRIED SEVERAL HIGH RANKING JAPANESE GENERALS AND MUCH VALUABLE INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED FROM THE WRECKAGE. HE DIED JANUARY 26, 1944 NEAR HENGYANG, CHINA, WHEN RETURNING FROM A MISSION IN WHICH HIS WING SANK 12 ARMED JAPANESE SHIPS ON COASTAL SWEEPS. HIS BOMBER HAD BEEN DAMAGED BY ENEMY FIRE AND IN BAD WEATHER OVER ROUGH, POORLY MAPPED TERRAIN, CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN IN FREE CHINA. HE WAS BURIED IN AN AMERICAN CEMETERY IN CHINA. HE HAD FLOWN OVER 38 MISSIONS SINCE COMING TO CHINA, IN ADDITION TO HIS MANY DUTIES AS OPERATIONS OFFICER AND ATTAINED THE RANK OF CAPTAIN. HE WAS AWARDED THE SILVER STAR.