World War II Honoree

Harold Lee Bennett

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Kansas City, Missouri

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

PRIOR TO THE ENTRY OF THE UNITED STATES INTO THE WAR, HE WENT TO CANADA, JOINED THE ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE (RCAF) AND RECEIVED TRAINING AS A PILOT. AFTER THE UNITED STATES ENTERED THE WAR, HE RECEIVED A DISCHARGE FROM THE RCAF, RETURNED TO THE STATES AND JOINED THE ARMY AIR FORCES. TRAINED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AT MUSKOGEE ARMY AIRFIELD (HATBOX AIRFIELD) AT MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA, AND ALOE ARMY AIRFIELD AT VICTORIA, TEXAS. SERVED OVERSEAS AS A P-47 'THUNDERBOLT' AND P-51 'MUSTANG' FIGHTER PILOT IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER, IN THE CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) AREA, DURING THE WAR. HE FLEW 81 COMBAT MISSIONS. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON. CONTINUED IN U.S. AIR FORCE RESERVE SERVICE AFTER THE WAR UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT WITH THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL.