World War II Honoree

George Edgar Whitlock

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Concord, New Hampshire

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE ON NOVEMBER 11, 1941. SERVED INITIALLY IN THE AMERICAN THETER. AFTER BASIC INDIVIDUAL TRAINING, HE TOOK SPECIALTY TRAINING AT FLEXIBIBLE GUNNERY SCHOOL. UPON COMPLETION, HE WAS SENT TO UNIT AND CREW TRAINING. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER, IN THE NORTH AFRICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (NATOUSA), AS A B-24 'LIBERATOR' AIRCRAFT GUNNER. HE MANNED A MACHINE GUN POSITION IN FLIGHT, INFORMED THE CREW OF APPROACHING ENEMY PLANES, AND ENGAGED ATTACKING AIRCRAFT. HE FLEW 29 COMBAT MISSIONS. HE WAS HELD AS A PRISONER IN SPAIN FROM MAY 17, 1943-AUGUST 3, 1943. THEN HELD AS A PRISONER OF WAR (POW) OF THE GERMANS IN GERMANY FROM JULY 7, 1944-OCTOBER 30, 1945. AWARDED THE AERIAL GUNNER BADGE, AIRCRAFT CREW MEMBER BADGE, AIR MEDAL, PRISONER OF WAR (POW) MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON. HE CONTINUED IN MILITARY SERVICE AFTER THE WAR UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE U.S.A.F. WITH THE RANK OF MASTER SERGEANT.