World War II Honoree

Jerome Abraham

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Duval County, Florida

Honored By

Sam E. Pennartz

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS. ENLISTED AT CAMP BLANDING, FLORIDA ON OCTOBER 11, 1941. ASSIGNED TO 5TH AIR FORCE, 49TH FIGHTER GROUP, HEADQUARTERS SQUADRON. INITIALLY ACTIVATED AS THE 49TH PURSUIT GROUP (INTERCEPTOR) ON NOVEMBER 20, 1940 AT SELFRIDGE FIELD, MICHIGAN. THE 49TH FIGHTER GROUP MOVED TO MORRISON FIELD, FLORIDA FOR TRAINING. LEFT THE SAN FRANCISCO PORT OF EMBARKATION ON JANUARY 12, 1942 BOUND FOR THE PACIFIC THEATERS OF OPERATION. DISEMBARKED ON FEBRUARY 2, 1942 AT PORT PHILLIP BAY IN MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA. ON JUNE 14, 1943, HE WAS RETURNING TO PORT MORESBY, NEW GUINEA AFTER A RECLAMATION AND REPAIR BREAK AT MACKAY, QUEENSLAND. HE DIED SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF FROM MACKAY AIRFIELD IN A CONVERTED B-17C FLYING FORTRESS, BEING USED AS A TROOP TRANSPORT. THE PLANE CAUGHT FIRE AND CRASHED AT BAKERS CREEK, NEAR MACKAY, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA. HIS REMAINS WERE FLOWN TO TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA; WHERE HE WAS BURIED IN THE BELGIAN GARDENS U.S. MILITARY CEMETERY. EARLY IN 1946, HIS REMAINS WERE DIS-INTERRED AND RETURNED TO THE MAINLAND. REMAINS ARE INTERRED AT RIVERSIDE MEMORIAL CEMETERY IN JACKSONVILLE, FL.