World War II Honoree

Roland Joseph Garrett

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Jenks, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

APPLIED, AND WAS SELECTED FOR AIRCREW TRAINING IN THE AVIATION CADET PROGRAM AS A PILOT. UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF TRAINING, WAS EARMARKED FOR FOLLOW-ON TRAINING ON HEAVY BOMBER AIRCRAFT, AWARDED HIS SILVER PILOT WINGS AND COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT. NEXT, ASSIGNED FOR TRANSITION FLYING TRAINING IN THE AIRCRAFT HE WOULD FLY IN COMBAT. SERVED AS A B-17 ‘FLYING FORTRESS’ HEAVY BOMBER CO-PILOT OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 96TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (HEAVY), 8TH AIR FORCE STATIONED AT SNETTERTON HEATH AIR BASE IN SOUTHEASTERN ENGLAND. PARTICIPATED IN AIR COMBAT OPERATIONS, INCLUDING IN THE RHINELAND, AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. HIS GROUP SERVED PRIMARILY AS A STRATEGIC BOMBING ORGANIZATION, ATTACKING SHIPYARDS, HARBORS, RAILWAY MARSHALLING YARDS, AIRFIELDS, AIRCRAFT FACTORIES, OIL REFINERIES AND STORAGE FACILITIES, AND OTHER INDUSTRIAL TARGETS. THEIR AREA OF OPERATIONS INCLUDED FRANCE, THE NETHERLANDS, BELGIUM, GERMANY, NORWAY, POLAND, CZECHOSLOVAKIA, AND HUNGARY. FLEW 28 MISSIONS OVER THE CONTINENT OF EUROPE DURING THE WAR. DURING THE EARLY MONTHS OF 1945, ATTACKED THE LINES OF COMMUNICATIONS SUPPLYING GERMAN ARMIES ON THE WESTERN FRONT. THE GROUP FLEW ITS LAST MISSION ON APRIL 21, 1945. DURING THE LATTER PART OF 1945, FLEW TRAINING AND TRANSPORTATION FLIGHTS OVER EUROPE. AFTER THE WAR, SERVED AS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AT ENID ARMY AIR FIELD, OKLAHOMA. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AS A LIEUTENANT AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.