World War II Honoree
Killed In Action
Lester Eugene Gentry
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Pawnee, Oklahoma
Honored By
Robert S. Cox
ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN 1942. TRAINED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AT SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS; MIDLAND ARMY AIR FIELD, TEXAS; ELLINGTON FIELD AT HOUSTON, TEXAS; GRIDER ARMY AIR FIELD AT PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS; GOWEN FIELD AT BOISE, IDAHO; AND SCOTTSBLUFF ARMY AIR FIELD, NEBRASKA. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER AS A BOMBARDIER ABOARD B-24 'LIBERATOR' BOMBER AIRCRAFT WITH THE 579TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (HEAVY), 392ND BOMBARDMENT GROUP (HEAVY), 8TH AIR FORCE, DURING THE WAR. STATIONED AT WENDLING, ENGLAND, HE PARTICIPATED IN THE AIR OFFENSIVE-EUROPE CAMPAIGN. HIS SQUADRON SERVED PRIMARILY AS A DAYLIGHT STRATEGIC BOMBING ORGANIZATION WITH AN AREA OF OPERATIONS THAT INCLUDED GERMANY, FRANCE AND OCCUPIED EUROPE IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO). SECOND LIEUTENANT GENTRY WAS KILLED IN ACTION ON JANUARY 29, 1944 DURING A MISSION TO FRANKFURT, GERMANY ABOARD HIS BOMBER, NICKNAMED 'SALLY ANN.' THE GROUP FORMATION EXPERIENCED HEAVY ENEMY OPPOSITION IN THE FORM OF SOME 50-60 ENEMY FIGHTER PLANES, AND MODERATE TO HEAVY FLAK DURING THE MISSION. ON THE RETURN TRIP FROM THE TARGET, HIS PLANE WAS ATTACKED BY ENEMY FIGHTERS, LOST ENGINES AND CAUGHT FIRE, AND THE ORDER TO BAIL OUT WAS GIVEN. SHORTLY AFTER THAT ORDER, THE AIRCRAFT EXPLODED BEFORE HE COULD EXIT THE PLANE. THE PLANE CRASHED NEAR WATERLOO, BELGIUM. POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART FOR WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION, AIR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 BRONZE SERVICE STAR, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL.