World War II Honoree

Henry C. 'Benny' Benitez

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Washington, District Of Columbia

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: First Lieutenant. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point with the class of 1942, commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army Air Corps. Served as a Copilot in a B-17G Flying Fortress Bomber, assigned to the 526th Bomb Squadron, 379th Bomb Group, 41st Combat Bomb Wing, First Bomb Division, United States Eighth ‘Mighty Eighth’ Army Air Corps. His squadron was based at the Royal Air Force Station in Kimbolton, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire in Great Britain, Army Air Force Station #117. Killed in Action Sunday, August 13, 1944 on his First Combat mission during a bombing raid to Oranienburg, Germany. The Flying Fortress came under attack and shot down by German anti-aircraft artillery fire, crashing near Falaise, France. He was unable to bail out and buried in the Garron-St. Pilarie Cemetery in France. After the cessation of hostilities in Europe, his family received his remains for burial, with interment August 27, 1948 in the United States Military Academy Cemetery at West Point, New York. Recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart, awarded posthumously. The Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded for heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight. This Lieutenant, an American Patriot, so gallantly gave his life in defense of his country.