World War II Honoree

J. R. Edwards

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Vinita, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

AFTER TRAINING IN THE AMERICAN THEATER, DEPLOYED OVERSEAS AND ARRIVED IN ENGLAND IN APRIL, 1942. SERVED AS A WAIST GUNNER OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER AS PART OF A 10-MAN CREW ABOARD A B-17 ‘FLYING FORTRESS’ HEAVY BOMBER. ASSIGNED WITH THE 8TH AIR FORCE BASED AT RAF THORPE ABBOTTS IN ENGLAND WITH THE 351ST BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON, HEAVY, 100TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP. EXPERIENCED THE TERRIFYING ORDEAL OF FLYING DAYLIGHT STRATEGIC BOMBING MISSIONS AGAINST A DETERMINED ENEMY. IN THE EARLY YEARS, MISSIONS WERE PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS AS THE ENEMY WAS STRONG AND EXPERIENCED AND AMERICAN BOMBERS OPERATED WITHOUT FIGHTER ESCORT DEEP INTO ENEMY TERRITORY. AMERICAN BOMBER LOSSES WERE HORRIFIC. HIS BOMBER GROUP WAS ATTACKED NEARLY EVERY MISSION BY EITHER ENEMY AIRCRAFT OR GROUND-BASED ANTIAIRCRAFT FIRE, OR BOTH. ON MANY MISSIONS, OVER HALF THE AIRCRAFT IN THE FORMATION WERE LOST. THE LIFE OF A BOMBER CREWMEMBER WAS TO SURVIVE ONE DAY AT A TIME. THE RELIEF OVER SURVIVING ONE MISSION WAS SHORT LIVED BECAUSE OF THE REALIZATION THAT ANOTHER MISSION WAS PLANNED IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE. HIS COMMANDER WAS KILLED SHORTLY AFTER HIS ARRIVAL IN THEATER WHEN HIS AIRCRAFT HIT ANOTHER BOMBER AND BOTH WENT DOWN. DURING ONE MISSION, HIS AIRCRAFT WAS HIT BY AN ENEMY SHELL THAT PENETRATED FROM THE TAIL GUNNER POSITION THROUGH TO THE BELLY OF THE PLANE WHERE IT EXPLODED. THE BURST NARROWLY MISSED HIM, BUT KILLED THE NAVIGATOR. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, HE FIRED SO MANY ROUNDS AT ATTACKING ENEMY AIRPLANES THAT HE WOUND UP STANDING DEEP IN SPENT .50 CALIBER BRASS SHELL CASINGS. DURING ANOTHER MISSION, HIS AIRCRAFT WAS FORCED TO CRASH-LAND AT NIGHT IN A POTATO FIELD, AFTER RUNNING OUT OF FUEL ON A RETURN TRIP FROM A BOMBING RUN. HIS AIRCRAFT BROKE IN TWO BUT THE CREW SURVIVED AND WERE ASSIGNED A REPLACEMENT PLANE. HIS BIGGEST CONCERN DURING HIS TOUR OF DUTY WAS ENEMY FIGHTER ATTACKS; AND ENEMY ANTIAIRCRAFT FLAK WAS CONSIDERED MORE A MATTER OF ROUTINE. THE CRITERIA FOR ROTATION OF BOMBER CREWMEMBERS BACK TO THE STATES WHEN HE ARRIVED IN THEATER WAS SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF 25 COMBAT MISSIONS. IN SEPTEMBER, 1943, HE FLEW HIS 25TH MISSION AND WAS REASSIGNED TO THE UNITED STATES. HE CONSIDERED HIS SURVIVAL OF THE WAR A MIRACLE. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT 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 UNIT OVER REGENSBURG, GERMANY ON AUGUST 17, 1943. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1943 WITH THE RANK OF STAFF SERGEANT AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.