World War II Honoree

Harold Wesley Harrison

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Fort Sumner, New Mexico

Honored By

Sidney Harrison

Relationship

Nephew

Airplane and Engine Mechanic with the 335th Fighter Squadron, 4th Operations Group, 8th Air Force, Debden Field, England, from 6 August 1942 through 19 February 1946. Initially the RAF (121 Eagle Squadron), on 22 August 1942, it was turned over to the USAAF, 335th Fighter Squadron. The Squadron was equipped with P-47 Thunderbolts and later P-51 Mustang Fighters. This unit destroyed 262 Enemy Aircraft- 165 in the air and 97 on the ground. This unit was one of the first Fighter Squadrons to fly air cover for bombing raids all the way to Germany. He was awarded a Presidential Citation for "Extraordinary Heroism, Gallantry, Determination and Esprit De Corps, from 6 March to April 24, 1944, when it's P-51 Mustang Pilots destroyed 323 German Planes, 189 in Aerial Combat and 134 in Strafing attacks". He returned to the U.S. on 19 February 1946 and was Honorably Discharged on 24 February 1946 at Fort Bliss, Texas.