World War II Honoree

Ben F. West

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Sapulpa, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

SERVED OVERSEAS AS A NAVIGATOR-BOMBARDIER IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER ON B-29 'SUPERFORTRESS' BOMBER AIRCRAFT. STATIONED ON THE ISLAND OF SAIPAN IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS, HE COMPLETED 35 COMBAT MISSIONS. PARTICIPATED IN THE FIRST WAVE OF BOMBING RUNS AGAINST THE JAPANESE HOME ISLANDS. MOST MISSIONS WERE PART OF THE FIRE-BOMBING CAMPAIGN AGAINST LARGE JAPANESE CITIES WHICH RESULTED IN MORE CASUALTIES THAN SUBSEQUENT ATOMIC BOMB MISSIONS AGAINST HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI. ONE PARTICULAR MISSION, SHORTLY BEFORE THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED THE UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER TERMS, INVOLVED A MISSION OVER HIROSHIMA TO DROP 18 BOMBS. THE BOMBS WERE FILLED WITH LEAFLETS TO WARN THE CIVILIAN POPULATION TO FLEE THE CITY AS IT WAS TARGETED FOR DESTRUCTION. HIS AIRCRAFT WAS DAMAGED AND FORCED TO MAKE EMERGENCY LANDINGS ON THE ISLAND OF IWO JIMA IN THE BONIN ISLANDS ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, AIR MEDAL WITH 1 SILVER AND 1 BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTER, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RANK OF FIRST LIEUTENANT AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.