World War II Honoree

Nathan B. Forrest, III

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Memphis, Tennessee

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: BRIGADIER GENERAL. SERVED WITH HEADQUARTERS 402ND PROVISIONAL COMBAT BOMB WING, 4TH BOMB WING, 8TH AIR FORCE ‘MIGHTY EIGHT’ STATIONED AT THE ROYAL AIR FORCE AIRFIELD, HORHAM, ENGLAND. HE WAS IN THE COMMAND AIRCRAFT LEADING A COMPOSITE GROUP OF B-17 ‘FLYING FORTRESS’ BOMBERS ON A BOMBING RAID TO THE SUBMARINE YARDS AT KIEL, GERMANY. HIS AIRCRAFT WAS SHOT DOWN; CRASHING INTO THE BALTIC’S SEA COLD, FRIGID WATERS SUNDAY, JUNE 13, 1943 AND WAS REPORTED MISSING IN ACTION, LOST AT SEA. HIS BODY WAS FOUND THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1943 WHEN IT WASHED ASHORE NEAR A SEAPLANE BASE AT RUEGEN ISLAND, GERMANY AND HE WAS BURIED, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1943 BY GERMAN AUTHORITIES IN A SMALL CEMETERY NEAR WIEK, GERMANY. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES IN EUROPE, HIS REMAINS WERE RETURNED TO HIS WIDOW, WITH INTERMENT NOVEMBER 15, 1949 IN ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA. HE WAS THE FIRST GENERAL OFFICER KILLED IN COMBAT IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER DURING WWII. DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS: HIS FAMILY WAS PRESENTED HIS DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, WHICH HE WAS AWARDED POSTHUMOUSLY FOR STAYING AT THE CONTROLS WHILE HIS CREW BAILED OUT AND FOR HIS HEROISM WHILE PARTICIPATING IN AERIAL FLIGHT. THE PURPLE HEART WAS ALSO AWARDED POSTHUMOUSLY FOR HIS SUPREME SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.