World War II Honoree

John S. 'Jack' Barrington

Hometown

Ponca City, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

TRAINED AS A ROYAL AIR FORCE (RAF) PILOT FOR SOME SIX MONTHS AT THE DARR BRITISH FLYING TRAINING SCHOOL #6 AT PONCA CITY, OKLAHOMA DURING THE WAR. HE ARRIVED IN APRIL, 1942, AND GRADUATED IN NOVEMBER, 1942. HE WAS THEN ASSIGNED AS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AT KELLY FIELD AT SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, AND RETURNED TO THE DARR SCHOOL IN AUGUST, 1943, AS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. DEPLOYED TO ENGLAND IN 1944 AND SERVED AS A 'LANCASTER' HEAVY BOMBER PILOT UNTIL THE END OF THE WAR. HIS AIRCRAFT WAS EXCLUSIVELY USED AGAINST GERMAN TARGETS IN EUROPE AND PRIMARILY ON NIGHT BOMBING MISSIONS. FOLLOWING THE WAR, HE MARRIED THE WOMAN CONTROL TOWER OPERATOR THAT HE MET WHILE TRAINING AT THE DARR SCHOOL.