World War II Honoree

Harry Wesley White

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

A MEMBER OF THE CHICKASAW INDIAN NATION, HE WAS DRAFTED INTO MILITARY SERVICE ON NOVEMBER 16, 1940. SERVED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER WITH THE U.S. ARMY 45TH DIVISION. APPLIED, AND WAS SELECTED FOR AIRCREW TRAINING IN THE AVIATION CADET PROGRAM AS A PILOT. UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF PREFLIGHT SCHOOL, PRIMARY FLYING SCHOOL, BASIC FLYING SCHOOL AND ADVANCED FLYING TRAINING, HE WAS EARMARKED FOR FOLLOW-ON TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT TRAINING, AWARDED HIS SILVER PILOT WINGS AND COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT IN MAY, 1943. NEXT, ASSIGNED FOR (2-ENGINE) TRANSITION FLYING TRAINING IN THE AIRCRAFT HE WOULD FLY IN COMBAT. SERVED AS A C-47 'SKYTRAIN' TRANSPORT PILOT OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER, IN THE MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTOUSA), STATIONED IN ITALY. AWARDED THE ARMY PILOT BADGE, DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, AIR MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HE FLEW PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT FROM ITALY TO PARTISANS FIGHTING IN YUGOSLAVIA IN THE BALKANS. THIS DANGEROUS ASSIGNMENT WAS RECOGNIZED BY HIS AWARD OF THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AFTER THE WAR AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.