World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Ben I. Funk
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Wray, Colorado
Honored By
A Grateful American
HE FLEW NUMEROUS MISSIONS IN A B-24 BOMBER NICKNAMED 'BAG OF BOLTS' TO EVACUATE AMERICAN AND BRITISH CITIZENS FROM THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AND JAVA. HE PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN IMPROVING THE B-17 AND B-24 BOMBERS AND DEVELOPING THE B-29 BOMBER 'SUPERFORTRESS'. AS A COLONEL HE LED A GROUP OF 2,000 MEN IN 45 B-29 AIRCRAFT TO OKINAWA FOR THE BOMBING OF JAPAN.