World War II Honoree

Olive T. Ballentine

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Wytheville, Virginia

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: TECHNICIAN 5TH CLASS. INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY AIR CORPS JUNE 7, 1943 AT ABINGDON, VIRGINIA. SERVED IN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS ASSIGNED TO BRAVO COMPANY, 1896TH ENGINEER BATTALION, AVIATION ATTACHED TO THE U.S. 6TH ARMY. KILLED IN ACTION JANUARY 12, 1945 ALONG WITH 110 OTHER ENGINEERS WHEN A JAPANESE KAMIKAZE AIRCRAFT LOADED WITH SULPHUR BOMBS HIT HIS TRANSPORT, THE LIBERTY SHIP, KYLE V. JOHNSON. HE HAD BEEN IN TRANSIT FROM NEW GUINEA TO THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS DESTINED FOR THE LINGAYEN GULF AND WAS IN MANILA BAY WHEN THE DISASTER OCCURRED. REPORTED MISSING IN ACTION OR BURIED AT SEA FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 1945 AND IS MEMORIALIZED AT THE MANILA AMERICAN CEMETERY LOCATED AT FORT BONIFACIO, MANILA, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART POSTHUMOUSLY.