World War II Honoree

Frank Alton Armstrong, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Hamilton, North Carolina

Honored By

Pearl Thomas

Brigadier General. He commanded two B-17 Flying Fortress groups and a wing each of B-17 and B-29 Superfortresses in combat operations against both Germany and Japan. He personally led the first U.S. Army Air Forces daylight heavy bomber strategic bombing attack from England in 1942 over Germany as part of the 97th Bomb Group. On August 15, 1945, he led the longest and final heavy bombing raid on Japan on the B-29 Superfortress as part of the 315th Bomb Wing. Awarded the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with four oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 3 battle stars, WWII Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with battle star, Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom), Belgian Croix de Guerre, with palm and Philippine Independence Medal.