World War II Honoree

Gilman Vernal Glenna

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Highland, Minnesota

Honored By

Aarron Glenna

Relationship

Son

INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY AIR FORCE IN CAMP DODGE, IOWA ON SEPTEMBER 8, 1942. TRANSFERRED TO MIAMI, FLORIDA FOR BASIC TRAINING. SPENT THE NEXT 13 MONTHS IN THE MILITARY POLICE AT THE MIAMI MILITARY POLICE DEPARTMENT. IN OCTOBER 1943, WAS TRANSFERRED TO FORT BAKER, CALIFORNIA WHERE HE TOOK COMBAT TRAINING ON ANGLE ISLAND. HE WAS THEN TRANSFERRED TO THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF WAR. EARNED THE RANK OF CORPORAL; 13TH AIR FORCE, 42ND BOMBARDMENT GROUP, 390TH BOMB SQUADRON M. SERVED UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR FROM 1943 TO 1946 AND WAS IN COMBAT FROM PEARL HARBOR TO TOKYO BAY. SERVED AS A RELIEF GUNNER ON A B-25 MEDIUM BOMBER. ALSO SERVED AS A TRUCK DRIVER DURING THIS TIME. EARNED 5 BATTLE STARS FOR COMBAT FIGHTING (WESTERN PACIFIC, NEW GUINEA, LUZON, SOUTHERN PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, AND AIR COMBAT ON BORNEO). WAS ALSO AWARDED 4 SERVICE RIBBONS WHILE IN COMBAT (AMERICAN THEATER SERVICE, ASIATIC-PACIFIC, PHILIPPINE LIBERATION, AND GOOD CONDUCT). HE WAS ON A LANDING BARGE IN THE TOKYO BAY AREA WAITING TO MAKE A LANDING ON JAPAN WHEN THE ATOM BOMB WAS DROPPED. JAPAN SURRENDERED VERY SOON AFTER THE ATOM BOMB WAS DROPPED. THE WAR WAS OVER AND THE LANDING ON JAPAN WAS CALLED OFF. DISCHARGED ON JANUARY 10, 1946 AT CAMP MCCOY, WISCONSIN.