World War II Honoree

Lloyd Winkle

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Checotah, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

REGISTERED FOR THE DRAFT IN 1942, BUT VOLUNTEERED FOR SERVICE IN THE ARMY AIR FORCES BEFORE BEING DRAFTED. SERVED IN THE SUPPLY FIELD HANDLING ALL CLASSES OF SUPPLY INCLUDING FOOD AND AMMUNITION. SERVED OVERSEAS, INITIALLY IN THE NORTH AFRICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS IN 1943, IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER. THEN SERVED IN ITALY IN THE MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. RECALLED SPENDING HIS 21ST BIRTHDAY SITTING ON THE STEPS OF A CATHEDRAL IN ROME, ITALY EATING RATIONS OUT OF TIN CANS. HE LATER SERVED IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER AT SAIPAN, OKINAWA, AND GUAM. HE SPENT THE FINAL DAYS OF THE WAR ON TINIAN ISLAND, IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS, WHICH WAS THE LAUNCHING SITE OF THE BOMBERS THAT DROPPED THE ATOMIC BOMBS ON JAPAN. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.