World War II Honoree

Francis Dewitt Benson

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Fairforest, South Carolina

Honored By

James O. Sweeny

Relationship

Classmate

HE ENLISTED IN THE AIR CORPS IN 1942. AFTER BASIC TRAINING AT BOCA RATON, FLORIDA. HE WAS SELECTED FOR OFFICERS CANDIDATE SCHOOL AND GRADUATED AS A 2ND LIEUTENANT IN DECEMBER, 1943 FROM THE AIR CORPS TECHNICAL TRAINING COMMAND AT YALE UNIVERSITY. DURING 1944 HE WAS STATIONED FIRST AT SELFRIDGE FIELD, AND THEN ON TO BELLOWS FIELD IN HAWAII. IN 1945 HE SERVED SEQUENTIALLY AT SAIPAN, HICKAM FIELD AND BARKING SANDS, HAWAII. HE WAS DISCHARGED AT THE END OF AUGUST, 1945 WITH THE RANK OF MAJOR.