World War II Honoree

John W. 'Jack' Paul

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

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 AT AGE 20. NEXT, ASSIGNED FOR TRANSITION FLYING TRAINING IN THE AIRCRAFT HE WOULD FLY IN COMBAT. DEPLOYED OVERSEAS TO ENGLAND IN JUNE, 1944, AND SERVED IN COMBAT WITH THE 490TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (HEAVY), 8TH AIR FORCE, ABOARD B-24 ‘LIBERATOR’ AND LATER B-17 ‘FLYING FORTRESS’ HEAVY BOMBER AIRCRAFT IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER, DURING THE WAR. STATIONED AT ROYAL AIR FORCE (RAF BASE) EYE IN ENGLAND, HE FLEW 35 COMBAT MISSIONS, AND PARTICIPATED IN THE AIR OFFENSIVE-EUROPE, NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE), AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. HIS UNIT’S AREA OF OPERATIONS INCLUDED GERMANY AND OCCUPIED EUROPE IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO). HIS UNIT SERVED PRIMARILY AS A DAYLIGHT STRATEGIC BOMBING ORGANIZATION. IT BOMBED AIRFIELDS, BRIDGES, RAIL LINES, VEHICLES, ROAD JUNCTIONS, AND TROOP CONCENTRATIONS IN FRANCE DURING THE NORMANDY INVASION. ALSO SUPPORTED GROUND FORCES NEAR CAEN, FRANCE IN JULY, 1944 AND NEAR BREST, FRANCE IN SEPTEMBER, 1944. CONVERTED TO B-17 ‘FLYING FORTRESS’ AIRCRAFT IN EARLY AUGUST, 1944, AND OPERATED PRIMARILY AGAINST STRATEGIC TARGETS UNTIL THE END OF FEBRUARY, 1945. ATTACKED ENEMY OIL FACILITIES, TANK FACTORIES, MARSHALLING YARDS, AIRCRAFT PLANTS, AND AIRFIELDS IN SUCH GERMAN CITIES AS BERLIN, HAMBURG, MERSEBURG, MUNSTER, KASSEL, HANNOVER, AND COLOGNE. ATTACKED SUPPLY LINES AND GERMAN MILITARY FACILITIES DURING THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE IN DECEMBER, 1944-JANUARY, 1945. BEGINNING IN MARCH, 1945, ATTACKED INTERDICTION TARGETS AND SUPPORTED ADVANCING GROUND FORCES. AFTER VICTORY IN EUROPE (V-E) DAY ON MAY 8, 1945, PROVIDED FOOD TO FLOOD-STRICKEN AREAS OF HOLLAND AND TRANSPORTED FRENCH, SPANISH, AND BELGIAN PRISONERS OF WAR FROM AUSTRIA TO ALLIED RELOCATION CENTERS. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 SILVER AND 1 BRONZE SERVICE STARS (6 CAMPAIGNS), AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES IN FEBRUARY, 1945, AND COMPLETED HIS MILITARY SERVICE AS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1945, AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.