World War II Honoree

George Benjamin Haynes

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Laredo, Texas

Honored By

Douglas M. Alford, USN

HE HAD COMPLETED THE 10TH GRADE WHEN HE VOLUNTEERED FOR MILITARY SERVICE AT FORT SAM HOUSTON, SAN ANTONIO TEXAS ON NOVEMBER 25, 1941 WHERE HE JOINED THE ARMY AIR CORPS. AFTER BASIC TRAINING HE WAS SENT FOR ADVANCE TRAINING AS A CREW CHIEF AND ASSIGNED TO THE 482ND BASE HEADQUARTERS AND AIR BASE SQUADRON. HE QUALIFIED WITH THE M-CARBINE RIFLE. HE SERVED 2 YEARS AND 7 MONTHS IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES AND 1 YEAR AND 6 MONTHS IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS. AFTER THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR HE WAS ASSIGNED DUTY IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS. IN AUGUST 1945, AT THE SURRENDER OF JAPAN, HE SERVED IN AN OCCUPATION UNIT UNTIL HE WAS TRANSFERRED BACK TO THE UNITED STATES AND RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY. HE WAS PLACED ON A TROOP TRAIN BACK TO SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS WHERE HE DEPARTED FOR HIS HOMETOWN OF LAREDO.