World War II Honoree

James H. Doyle

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Family

HE BEGAN SERVING IN THE WAR EFFORT AT 16 YEARS OF AGE. THE U.S. NAVY ASKED SCHOOL STUDENTS TO MAKE MODEL AIRPLANES OF SOLID WOOD TO BE USED BY THE NAVY. THE MODELS WERE NOT DETAILED BUT THEY HAD THE CORRECT SILHOUETTE AND WOULD BE USED IN THE TRAINING OF PILOTS AND GUNNERS. THOSE TRAINED WOULD BE TESTED ON HOW QUICKLY THEY WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE AIRCRAFT FROM A QUICK GLIMPSE. HE COMPLETED TWO SUCH MODELS AND RECEIVED A THANK YOU CERTIFICATE FROM THE NAVY. HE ENLISTED IN THE U.S ARMY AIR CORPS IN JULY OF 1944, A MONTH BEFORE HIS 18TH BIRTHDAY. HE WAS ACTIVATED LATE JANUARY OF 1945 AND WAS A MEMBER OF THE 3784TH ARMY AIR FORCE BASE UNIT. HE HAD BASIC TRAINING AT KEESLER FIELD, BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI AND THEN HE WAS SENT TO WILLIAMS FIELD, MESA, ARIZONA. SINCE THE WAR WAS WINDING DOWN IN EUROPE, HE REPEATED BASIC TRAINING FOR A SECOND TIME. HE PULLED SOME 'CLERICAL TIME' ON THE FLIGHT LINE, KEEPING TRACK OF THE FLIGHT HOURS ON THE B-24 AIRCRAFT WHICH WERE BASED THERE AND USED FOR FLIGHT TRAINING. THE BOMB BROUGHT THE PACIFIC WAR TO AN ABRUPT END AND HE WAS DISCHARGED AT FORT LEE OUTSIDE OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA IN NOVEMBER OF 1945.