World War II Honoree

John Buchanon Wakefield, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Antreville, South Carolina

Honored By

James O. Sweeny

Relationship

Classmate

IN APRIL OF 1941, AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT, HE ENTERED THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE, RECEIVING HIS WINGS AT KELLY FIELD LATER THAT YEAR. IN AUGUST OF 1942 HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO ENGLAND, AND IN DECEMBER AS A CAPTAIN, HE WAS GIVEN THE AIR MEDAL PERSONALLY BY GENERAL DOOLITTLE FOR PERFORMANCE OF AN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS OFFENSIVE IN THE TRANSPORTATION OF PARATROOPS INTO TUNISIA ON NOVEMBER 29. BACK IN THE STATES, AS A MAJOR, HE TOOK COMMAND OF A NEW TROOP CARRIER SQUADRON, AND WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS IN OCTOBER, 1944. HE RETURNED TO THE STATES IN DECEMBER 1945, AND THREE MONTHS LATER AS A LIEUTENANT COLONEL, HE WAS RELIEVED FROM ACTIVE DUTY.