World War II Honoree

Joseph Chiara

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Prosser, Washington

Honored By

Merte Chiara

Relationship

Wife

ENLISTED DECEMBER 1942. ATTENDED PRE-FLIGHT TRAINING AT SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA; BASIC TRAINING AT MARANA, ARIZONA AND GRADUATED WITH THE CLASS OF 44-D AT WILLIAMS FIELD, CHANDLER, ARIZONA IN APRIL 1944. RECEIVED P-38 TRANSITIONAL TRAINING AT SANTA MARIA ARMY AIR FORCE BASE IN 1944 AND DEPARTED FOR OVERSEAS DUTY WITH 14TH AIR FORCE IN CHINA IN JANUARY 1945. ALL OF CHINA DUTY WAS SPENT AS A FLYING TIGER WITH 51ST FIGHTER GROUP, 449TH FIGHTER SQUADRON WHICH WAS THE ONLY P-38 LIGHTNING TACTICAL SQUADRON IN THE CHINA THEATER DURING THE WAR. ABOUT 4 MONTHS OF DEPLOYMENT WAS SPENT AT CHENGKUNG AND BALANCE AT MENG-TZE. DEPARTED FROM CHINA IN OCTOBER 1945 AND WAS DISCHARGED NOVEMBER 1946.