World War II Honoree

Royce E. Gauntt

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Lone Grove, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED THE NAVY V-5 AVIATION CADET PROGRAM IN 1940. ENLISTED IN THE GRADE OF AVIATION CADET. COMPLETED SEVERAL FLIGHT TRAINING SCHOOLS, INCLUDING AT NORMAN, OKLAHOMA AND PENSACOLA, FLORIDA. UPON COMPLETION OF TRAINING, AWARDED HIS GOLD NAVAL AVIATOR INSIGNIA (WINGS) AND COMMISSIONED AN ENSIGN. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER DURING THE WAR, INCLUDING ON OKINAWA IN THE RYUKYU ISLANDS, IN JAPAN, AND ON SAIPAN IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS. AWARDED THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND NAVY OCCUPATION SERVICE MEDAL WITH ‘ASIA’ CLASP. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN. RECALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY AFTER THE WAR AND SERVED IN THE NAVAL RESERVES UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT WITH THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT COMMANDER.