World War II Honoree

Arthur Melvin Fleming

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Cherry Tree, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE ON OCTOBER 10, 1942, HIS 21ST BIRTHDAY. TRAINED AS AN AIRCRAFT MECHANIC AND SERVED FIRST AS AN AVIATION MACHINIST'S MATE WITH AN AIRCRAFT SERVICE UNIT RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING AIRCRAFT AFTER THEIR RETURN FROM MISSIONS. THEN SERVED AS A MAIL CLERK. SERVED FOR OVER A YEAR OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER IN THE CENTRAL PACIFIC AREA, INCLUDING ON TARAWA ATOLL IN THE GILBERT ISLANDS. PARTICIPATED IN OPERATIONS AT TARAWA IN NOVEMBER, 1943. RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES IN THE SPRING OF 1945, AND WAS STATIONED AT THE NAVAL AIR STATION AT NORMAN, OKLAHOMA UNTIL HIS DISCHARGE. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED ON NOVEMBER 12, 1945, WITH THE RATING OF MAILMAN FIRST CLASS, AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.