World War II Honoree

Hugh Vance Posey, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Stillwater, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE AFTER COMPLETING HIS FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGE. APPLIED, AND WAS SELECTED FOR AIRCREW TRAINING IN THE AVIATION CADET PROGRAM AS A PILOT. UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A BASIC MILITARY COURSE, PREFLIGHT NON-FLYING CIVILIAN SCHOOLING, PRIMARY, BASIC, AND ADVANCED FLYING SCHOOLS, HE WAS EARMARKED FOR FOLLOW-ON HEAVY BOMBARDMENT AIRCRAFT TRAINING, AWARDED HIS SILVER PILOT WINGS AND COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT. NEXT, ASSIGNED FOR TRANSITION FLYING TRAINING IN THE AIRCRAFT HE WOULD FLY IN COMBAT. SERVED AS A B-17 'FLYING FORTRESS' CO-PILOT OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) DURING THE WAR. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.