World War II Honoree

Loren I. Low

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Stockton, California

Honored By

Russell Low

Relationship

Son

ENLISTED ON JANUARY 8, 1941 SERVING HIS COUNTRY FOR THE ENTIRETY OF WWII PLUS THE PRECEDING 11 MONTHS BEFORE PEARL HARBOR. HE WAS PART OF THE 804TH AVIATION ENGINEERS OF THE 7TH ARMY AIR FORCE HELPING TO BUILD THE AIR FIELDS IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC USED BY THE B-24 AND B-29 HEAVY BOMBERS. HE SERVED ON CHRISTMAS ISLAND AND WAS PART OF THE AMERICAN INVASIONS OF BAKER ISLAND, MAKIN ISLAND, AND SAIPAN. ON SAIPAN HE WAS AWARDED THE SILVER STAR MEDAL FOR BRAVERY IN COMBAT. DURING THE NIGHT OF JUNE 26TH 1944, A JAPANESE BETTY BOMBER ATTACKED ASLITO AIR FIELD. A BLAZING INFERNO WAS STARTED THAT THREATENED TO IGNITE A HUGE STORAGE TANK OF AVIATION FUEL. MEN OF HIS BATTALION WERE PINNED DOWN BY THE FIRE AND EXPOSED TO THE ENEMY. HE WALKED HIS CAT BULLDOZER INTO THE INFERNO AND PUT OUT THE FIRE SAVING LIVES AND PRESERVING THE VITAL AIR FIELD. HE SPENT A TOTAL OF 4 YEARS AND 9 MONTHS SERVING HIS COUNTRY AND WAS DISCHARGED ON OCTOBER 16, 1945.