World War II Honoree

Jerald C. Price

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Fort Collins, Colorado

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: LIEUTENANT COLONEL. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES ARMY CORPS JULY 31, 1940 AND WAS DESIGNATED TO ATTEND THE AVIATION FLIGHT TRAINING PROGRAM. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS, WHERE HE EXPERIENCED COMBAT AS A P-51 ‘MUSTANG’ FIGHTER PILOT AND WEATHER SCOUT. HE WAS ALSO APPOINTED AND SERVED AS THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR THE 8TH ‘MIGHTY EIGHTH’ ARMY AIR FORCE HEADQUARTERS, STATIONED AT DAWS HILL ROYAL AIR FORCE STATION LOCATED NEAR HIGH WYCOMBE, ENGLAND. ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 1944 HE WAS KILLED IN A P-51 TRAINING ACCIDENT, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RECOVER FROM A HIGH SPEED DIVE. THE FIGHTER HAD CRASHED NEAR THE VILLAGE OF DIDDINGTON, ENGLAND WHEN ITS WINGS SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE. HE WAS BURIED IN THE MORTON PARISH CEMETERY, BLACKPOOL, LANCASTERSHIRE ENGLAND. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES IN EUROPE, HIS REMAINS WERE RETURNED TO HIS COUNTRY AND FAMILY, WITH INTERMENT IN THE MOUNTAIN VIEW CEMETERY, LONGMONT, COLORADO.