World War II Honoree

James Doyle Bare

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Wetumka, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

JOINED THE US NAVY SHORTLY AFTER WAR WAS DECLARED. SERVED IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER AS AN F6F 'HELLCAT' FIGHTER PILOT. PARTICIPATED IN THE MARIANAS 'TURKEY SHOOT' WHICH WAS ALSO KNOWN AS THE BATTLE OF THE PHILIPPINE SEA. THE BATTLE WAS A MEETING OF THE JAPANESE AND US FLEETS BEGINNING JUNE 19, 1944 IN WHAT IS CONSIDERED THE LAST MAJOR CARRIER-VERSUS-CARRIER BATTLE OF THE PACIFIC WAR. THE BATTLE WAS PRIMARILY AN ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN AIRCRAFT OF THE TWO FLEETS. THE JAPANESE LOST 400 AIRCRAFT ON THE FIRST DAY OF BATTLE WHILE THE US LOSSES DURING THE RUNNING 2-DAY SERIES OF STRIKES AND COUNTERSTRIKES WAS 100 AIRCRAFT. THE BATTLE EFFECTIVELY BROKE THE BACK OF JAPANESE NAVAL AIR POWER. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. ALSO AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL FOR SERVICE IN THE LIBERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AFTER THE WAR AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.