World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Irvin W. Casey
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Jennings, Pawnee County, Oklahoma
Honored By
Robert S. Cox
ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN 1943. TRAINED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AT MIAMI ARMY AIR FIELD, FLORIDA; SCOTT FIELD AT BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS; YUMA ARMY AIR FIELD, ARIZONA; SALT LAKE CITY ARMY AIR BASE, UTAH; AND RAPID CITY ARMY AIR FIELD, SOUTH DAKOTA. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 569TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (HEAVY), 390TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP. HIS B-17 'FLYING FORTRESS' BOMBER UNIT WAS BASED AT FRAMLINGHAM, ENGLAND BEGINNING IN JULY, 1943. IT FLEW ITS FIRST MISSION ON AUGUST 12, 1943, AND SERVED PRIMARILY AS A STRATEGIC BOMBING ORGANIZATION ATTACKING MARSHALLING YARDS, DOCKS, OIL REFINERIES AND STORAGE FACILITIES, AND AIRCRAFT FACTORIES. THEIR AREA OF OPERATIONS INCLUDED FRANCE, GERMANY, CZECHOSLOVAKIA, AND AUSTRIA. SERGEANT CASEY WAS KILLED IN ACTION ON AUGUST 26, 1944 OVER ENGLAND. POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART, 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 SCHWEINFURT, GERMANY ON OCTOBER 14, 1943.