World War II Honoree

George J. Benedict

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Hastings, Iowa

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Sergeant. Inducted into the United States Army October 8, 1943 at Des Monies, Iowa, with boot Camp training at Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Upon his graduation from recruit training, he was designate to attend the Flight Aviation Training Program. Later, he was transferred to Briggs Field El Paso, Texas for Aerial Radio Schooling-Training. He served as a B-17G ‘Flying Fortress’ Bomber Radio Operator, assigned to the 731st Bomber Squadron, 452nd Bomber Group, a subordinate unit of the U.S. 8th Air Force ‘Mighty Eighth’ Army Air Forces. His unit was based at the Royal Air Force Station Deopham Green, England. Thursday, February 22, 1945 his bomber group was dispatched for a bombing mission over Freiburg, Germany. After bombs-away his bomber was shot down by anti-aircraft ground fire, crashing in the vicinity of the target. Succeeding hostilities, personnel from a Graves Registration Company buried him at: Saint Avold battlefield cemetery Metz, France. In the post-war era, this Airman’s family requested that he be buried with Military Honors at Hastings Cemetery Location: Hastings, Iowa. This American Patriot received the following decorations posthumously: Air Medal and the Purple Heart. The Air Medal was awarded to the Sergeant for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight, and the Purple Heart for his Heroism and ultimate sacrifice.