World War II Honoree

Enoch Paul Purnell

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Oak Park, Illinois

Honored By

Enoch P. Purnell, Jr.

Relationship

Son

FIRST LIEUTENANT. ENTERED THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES IN APRIL 1942 AS AN ENLISTED MAN. HE WAS FIRST TRAINED AS AN AIRPLANE ARMORER AND LATER AS AN AERIAL GUNNER. HE WAS THEN ACCEPTED INTO THE ARMY AIR FORCE'S PILOT TRAINING PROGRAM AS AN AVIATION CADET, AND GRADUATED FROM THE CLASS OF 43-J. HIS FIRST ASSIGNMENT AS A PILOT WAS AS A BASIC SCHOOL FLYING INSTRUCTOR WITH THE SE TRAINING COMMAND. IN MARCH, 1945 HE WAS SHIPPED OVERSEAS TO THE EUROPEAN THEATRE, WHERE HE FLEW COMBAT MISSIONS IN A REPUBLIC P-47 THUNDERBOLT FIGHTER PLANE UNTIL V-E DAY, WHILE ASSIGNED TO THE 494TH FIGHTER SQUADRON, 48TH FIGHTER GROUP, 9TH AIR FORCE. RETURNED HOME FROM EUROPE IN SEPTEMBER, 1945. HONORABLY DISCHARGED JANUARY, 1946.