World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Kenneth B. Hawkins
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Texas
Honored By
John Meurs
BALL TURRET GUNNER WITH THE 398TH BOMB GROUP, 600TH BOMB SQUADRON OF THE 8TH ARMY AIR FORCE BASED IN ENGLAND. ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1944, HIS BOMBER, THE B-17 'PHONEY EXPRESS', ON A MISSION TO THE SYNTHETIC FUEL PLANT IN MISBURG, GERMANY, WAS HIT BY FLAK SECONDS BEFORE BOMBING. HIS BOMBER CRASH LANDED NEAR VELSWIJK IN THE NETHERLANDS. ALL SURVIVED THE LANDING AND WERE TAKEN PRISONER.