World War II Honoree

Harold B. Bailey

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Lancaster, South Carolina

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

SERVED AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 379TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP, 8TH AIR FORCE. STATIONED IN KIMBOLTON, ENGLAND, HIS GROUP FLEW B-17 MISSIONS AGAINST STRATEGIC TARGETS IN GERMANY, FRANCE, HOLLAND, BELGIUM, NORWAY AND POLAND. PARTICIPATED IN THE AIR COMBAT-EAME THEATER, AND AIR OFFENSIVE-EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. HIS AIRCRAFT WAS LOST DURING A MISSION AND A FINDING OF DEATH WAS DECLARED. A DATE OF DEATH OF NOVEMBER 25, 1943 WAS ESTABLISHED. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. AUTHORIZED THE PRESIDENTIAL (DISTINGUISHED) UNIT CITATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION BY HIS GROUP OVER CONTINENTAL EUROPE DURING THE PERIOD MAY 29, 1943 TO JULY 31, 1944.