World War II Honoree

Edward Jack Hitt

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

San Antonio, Texas

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

SERVED AS A PILOT OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 8TH AIR FORCE. BASED IN ENGLAND, HE FLEW STRATEGIC BOMBING MISSIONS ABOARD B-17 'FLYING FORTRESS' HEAVY BOMBER AIRCRAFT. HIS UNIT ATTACKED SUCH TARGETS AS SHIPYARDS, AIRFIELDS, MARSHALLING YARDS, RAIL AND ROAD TRANSPORTATION NETWORKS, OIL REFINERIES AND STORAGE FACILITIES, AND FACTORY COMPLEXES. FLYING AT 30,000 FEET WITH TEMPERATURES REACHING SOME 90 DEGREES BELOW ZERO, HE COULD BARELY FEEL HIS EXTREMITIES. ENEMY ANTIAIRCRAFT FIRE AND GERMAN FIGHTER ATTACKS WERE EVER-PRESENT DANGERS AND THE THIN ALUMINUM SKIN AFFORDED LITTLE PROTECTION. HIS AIRCRAFT WAS HIT BY ENEMY FIRE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS; MEMBERS OF HIS CREW WERE KILLED, AND HE WAS WOUNDED IN THE LEG FROM SHRAPNEL THAT ENTERED THE COCKPIT. HIS AIRCRAFT WAS SHOT DOWN AND HE AND THE CREW HAD TO BAIL OUT OVER BELGIUM. HE ALSO SERVED BRIEFLY WITH THE 8TH AIR FORCE'S 3RD SCOUTING FORCE AS PILOT OF A P-51 'MUSTANG' FIGHTER PLANE. THEIR SECRETIVE UNIT WAS FORMED IN 1944 WITH THE MISSION OF SCOUTING OUT TARGET AREAS IN ADVANCE OF MAJOR BOMBING STRIKES. THE UNIT OPERATED FOR SOME SIX MONTHS BEFORE BEING DISCONTINUED. HE COMPLETED NEARLY 80 MISSIONS WHILE ASSIGNED TO THE 8TH AIR FORCE. AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS WITH ONE BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTER, PURPLE HEART, AIR MEDAL WITH 4 BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1945 WITH THE RANK OF FIRST LIEUTENANT AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.