World War II Honoree

Julius Henry 'Jack' Almond, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE IN 1942. APPLIED, AND WAS SELECTED FOR AIRCREW TRAINING IN THE AVIATION CADET PROGRAM AS A PILOT. UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF TRAINING IN 1943, WAS EARMARKED FOR FOLLOW-ON TRAINING ON FIGHTER AIRCRAFT, AWARDED HIS SILVER PILOT WINGS AND WAS COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT. NEXT, ASSIGNED FOR TRANSITION FLYING TRAINING IN THE AIRCRAFT HE WOULD FLY IN COMBAT. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER AS A P-47 'THUNDERBOLT' FIGHTER PILOT WITH THE 365TH FIGHTER GROUP 'HELL HAWKS', 9TH AIR FORCE. BASED AT ROYAL AIR FORCE (RAF) GOSFIELD, AND RAF BEAULIEU IN ENGLAND; AND AZEVILLE, LIGNEROLLES, BRETIGNY, AND JUVINCOURT AIRFIELDS IN FRANCE. PARTICIPATED IN THE AIR OFFENSIVE-EUROPE, NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, AND RHINELAND CAMPAIGNS. FLEW 94 MISSIONS OVER FRANCE, BELGIUM AND GERMANY IN HIS P-47 'THUNDERBOLT', NICKNAMED 'SWEET SUE' FOR HIS SWEETHEART. FLEW IN SUPPORT OF THE D-DAY INVASION AT NORMANDY, FRANCE PROVIDING AIR COVER FOR ALLIED FORCES. HIS TOUR OF COMBAT DUTY WAS COMPLETED IN OCTOBER, 1944 AND HE RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES. AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, AIR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 4 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HIS GROUP WAS CITED IN THE ORDER OF THE DAY OF THE BELGIAN ARMY FOR ACTIONS DURING THE PERIOD JUNE 6-SEPTEMBER 30, 1944. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON. RECALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY AFTER THE WAR AND SERVED UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE U.S. AIR FORCE WITH THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL.