World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Jack Girald Chambers, Sr.
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Pryor, Oklahoma
Honored By
Robert S. Cox
ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE WITH THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN 1942. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 8TH AIR FORCE, BASED IN ENGLAND. FLEW NUMEROUS STRATEGIC BOMBING MISSIONS, INCLUDING OVER GERMANY AS A CREWMEMBER ABOARD B-17 'FLYING FORTRESS' HEAVY BOMBER AIRCRAFT. HIS AIRCRAFT WAS SHOT DOWN AND HE WAS TAKEN AS A PRISONER OF WAR (POW) BY THE GERMANS. HELD FOR SOME 13 MONTHS IN POW CAMPS IN GERMANY AND POLAND UNTIL LIBERATED BY U.S. THIRD ARMY FORCES AND REPATRIATED TO THE UNITED STATES. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART, AIR MEDAL, PRISONER OF WAR MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON. REENLISTED AND CONTINUED IN U.S. AIR FORCE SERVICE AFTER THE WAR UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT WITH THE RANK OF CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT.