World War II Honoree

Iris Painter

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

LEFT COLLEGE AND ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE A FEW WEEKS AFTER THE JAPANESE SURPRISE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR, TERRITORY OF HAWAII, ON DECEMBER 7, 1941. SHE JOINED THE WOMEN'S ARMY AUXILIARY CORPS (WAAC) AND THEN SERVED WITH THE WOMEN’S ARMY CORPS (WAC) WHEN IT REPLACED THE WAAC ON JULY 1, 1943. SHE SERVED INITIALLY IN THE AMERICAN THEATER, AND THEN OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER, IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO). SHE SERVED AS AN 'AIR WAC' - A MEMBER OF THE WAC WHO SERVED WITH THE ARMY AIR FORCES DURING THE WAR. SHE WAS ASSIGNED AS A RADIO OPERATOR, WITH THE 9TH AIR FORCE, INITIALLY BASED IN ENGLAND, AND THEN, A FEW WEEKS AFTER THE NORMANDY, D-DAY INVASION ON JUNE 6, 1944, MOVED FORWARD TO FRANCE. AFTER THE ALLIED VICTORY IN EUROPE (V-E DAY) ON MAY 8, 1945, SERVED WITH OCCUPATION FORCES IN GERMANY. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, WOMEN’S ARMY CORPS SERVICE MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH 'GERMANY' CLASP. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.