World War II Honoree

James Campbell Woolery

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Bloomington, Indiana

Honored By

J. Scott Woolery

Relationship

Son

ENLISTED AND ENTERED ACTIVE SERVICE AS AN AVIATION CADET ON NOVEMBER 25, 1942 AT LAFAYETTE, INDIANA. INITIALLY ASSIGNED TO MAXWELL FIELD, ALABAMA, HE ATTENDED COLLEGE COURSES UNTIL A CLASS OPENING WAS AVAILABLE AT AN ‘ELEMENTARY FLIGHT TRAINING SCHOOL’ (WHICH INCLUDED PREFLIGHT AND PRIMARY FLYING TRAINING). UPON COMPLETION OF THAT SCHOOL, HE WAS RE-ASSIGNED FOR BASIC FLIGHT TRAINING AT GREENWOOD FIELD, MISSISSIPPI; AND THEN ADVANCED FLIGHT TRAINING AT NAPIER FIELD, DOTHAN, ALABAMA. HE GRADUATED, WON HIS PILOT WINGS, AND WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED ON APRIL 14, 1944 TO ACCEPT A COMMISSION AS SECOND LIEUTENANT THE NEXT DAY. COMPLETED P-51 ‘MUSTANG’ FIGHTER TRAINING AT DALE MABRY FIELD, TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA, AND DEPARTED THE CONTINENTAL U.S. ON SEPTEMBER 18, 1944 BOUND FOR THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. ASSIGNED TO AND SERVED WITH THE 505TH FIGHTER SQUADRON, 339TH FIGHTER GROUP, BASED AT RAF (ROYAL AIR FORCE) FOWLMERE, UNITED KINGDOM, (OPERATING UNDER THE 8TH AIR FORCE FIGHTER COMMAND), AND FOUGHT IN THE ARDENNES, RHINELAND, AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. RE-DEPLOYED WITH HIS UNIT TO THE U.S. AFTER VICTORY IN EUROPE, AND BASED WITH THE 66TH FIGHTER WING AT CAMP KILMER, NEW JERSEY. HONORABLY RELIEVED FROM ACTIVE DUTY AS A FIRST LIEUTENANT ON DECEMBER 29, 1945 AT SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. EARNED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, AIR MEDAL WITH 11 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE BATTLE STARS, AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL.