World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Norman R. Lanum
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Decatur, Illinois
Honored By
Robert Medley Gatewood
WITH 10 AND A HALF MONTHS OF PRIOR SERVICE, ENLISTED IN THE AIR CORPS AND RE-ENTERED ACTIVE SERVICE ON DECEMBER 6, 1941 AT CAMP FORREST, TENNESSEE. COMPLETED AIRPLANE AND ENGINE MECHANIC SERVICE SCHOOL AT BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, IN 1942 AND QUALIFIED IN THE MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY OF AIRPLANE INSTRUMENT MECHANIC (686). DEPARTED THE CONTINENTAL U.S. ON NOVEMBER 1, 1943 BOUND FOR THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS. ASSIGNED TO AND SERVED WITH THE 387TH BOMB SQUADRON, 312TH BOMB GROUP, 5TH AIR FORCE, OPERATING A-20 ‘HAVOC’ LIGHT BOMBER AND NIGHT FIGHTER AIRCRAFT. PARTICIPATED IN THE NEW GUINEA, WESTERN PACIFIC, SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES, LUZON, RYUKYUS, CHINA, AND AIR OFFENSIVE (JAPAN) CAMPAIGNS. EARNED THE DISTINGUISHED UNIT BADGE, ARMY AIR FORCES TECHNICIAN BADGE WITH MECHANIC BAR, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE BADGE, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH ONE SILVER AND TWO BRONZE BATTLE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL WITH ONE BRONZE BATTLE STAR. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AS A CORPORAL ON OCTOBER 10, 1945 AT THE SEPARATION CENTER, FORT SHERIDAN, ILLINOIS.