World War II Honoree

Walter W. Beam

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Denison, Texas

Honored By

William E. Shaklee

Relationship

Friend and Neighbor at Epworth Villa Retirement Facility

ON DECEMBER 7, 1941 HE WAS A STUDENT AT TEXAS A & M COLLEGE, COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS, AND A MEMBER OF THE US COAST ARTILLERY RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS. HE WAS ORDERED FEBRUARY 2, 1943, TO REPORT TO ELLINGTON FIELD, HOUSTON, TEXAS, FOR ACTIVE DUTY AND WAS SENT TO YALE UNIVERSITY, NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT. UPON COMPLETION OF A COURSE IN AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE AS AN AVIATION CADET, HE WAS COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT JULY 5. THEN HE WENT TO THE BOEING AIRCRAFT FACTORY IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, AND ATTENDED A B29 SCHOOL. ON SEPTEMBER 17 HE MOVED TO SMOKY HILL ARMY AIR BASE IN SALINA, KANSAS, AND ATTENDED B29 FLIGHT ENGINEERS SCHOOL. HE TRANSFERRED TO LOWRY FIELD, DENVER, COLORADO, WHERE HE RECEIVED HIS WINGS AS AN AIRCRAFT OBSERVER (FLIGHT ENGINEER) IN NOVEMBER. HE JOINED A COMBAT CREW AT SMOKY HILL. HIS CREW CONSISTED OF 11 MEN AND THEY TRAINED ON B17S, B26S, AND B29S WHICH WERE STILL IN THE PRODUCTION AND TESTING PHASE. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 58TH WING, 468TH BOMB GROUP, 792ND SQUADRON. HE RECEIVED ORDERS MARCH 12, 1944, TO PROCEED TO HAMPTON ROADS, VIRGINIA, AND BOARDED THE USS GENERAL BUCKNER AND SAILED TO CASABLANCA, NORTH AFRICA. FROM THERE HE WENT BY C54 AIR TRANSPORT TO KHARAGPUR (SULA), INDIA, STOPPING AT TRIPOLI, CAIRO, ABADAN, AND KARACHI. HIS FIRST MISSION WAS TO YAWATA, JAPAN, ON AUGUST 20, 1944. THEIR CREW RECEIVED ITS B29 IN OCTOBER 1944, AND FLEW MISSIONS OUT OF INDIA TO BURMA, SAIGON, MALAYA, SINGAPORE, AND PALEMBANG. FROM CHINA THEY FLEW TO MANCHURIA, WESTERN JAPAN, FORMOSA, OKINAWA, AND PHILIPPINES. THE 58TH BOMB WING WAS RE DEPLOYED TO TINIAN ISLAND. THEY FLEW HOME ON B29S STOPPING AT KWAJALEIN, HICKMAN FIELD, AND ARRIVING AT FAIRFIELD SUSAN AIR FIELD, CALIFORNIA, JULY 15, 1945. THEY REPORTED TO SANTA ANNA AIR BASE, CALIFORNIA. EACH OF THEIR CREW WAS AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS WITH ONE CLUSTER, THE AIR MEDAL WITH A SILVER CLUSTER, TWO PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATIONS, AND EIGHT BRONZE SERVICE STARS. THEN HE WAS SENT TO FORT SAM HOUSTON, TEXAS, FOR MUSTERING OUT.