World War II Honoree

Dwight E. 'Dike' Cloud

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Mapleton, Iowa

Honored By

James T. Delaney

SERVED IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS WITH THE 7TH AIR FORCE, 11TH BOMB GROUP, 819TH BOMB SQUADRON, 30TH BOMB GROUP AND THE 431ST SQUADRON AS A 1ST LIEUTENANT. RECEIVED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, AIR MEDAL WITH 3 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, ASIATIC-PACIFIC WITH 3 STARS, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HE WAS A B-24 AIRCRAFT COMMANDER BASED ON SAIPAN , GUAM AND OKINAWA. HE FLEW 30 COMBAT MISSIONS AND WAS A FLIGHT LEADER, SQUADRON LEADER AND GROUP LEADER. MISSIONS FLOWN WERE OVER VARIOUS ENEMY-HELD PACIFIC ISLANDS SUCH AS IWO JIMA, AS WELL AS THE ENEMY HOMELAND. HE AND HIS CREW WERE CREDITED WITH THE SINKING OF THE BATTLESHIP HARUNA AT KURE NAVAL BASE, JAPAN ON JULY 28, 1945.