World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Herman T. Moldenhauer
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Honored By
Herman T. Moldenhauer
ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS ON JANUARY 16, 1941 AT FORT LOGAN, COLORADO. TRAVELED BY TRAIN TO BARKSDALE FIELD, LOUISIANA FOR RECRUIT TRAINING AND APTITUDE TESTS. WENT TO CHANUTE FIELD, ILLINOIS FOR THE AIRCRAFT MECHANICS COURSE. AFTER GRADUATING, WENT TO THE 45TH BOMB GROUP IN MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, WHERE HE PATROLLED THE ATLANTIC COASTLINE (FLORIDA TO NEW YORK) FOR ENEMY SUBMARINES. HE WAS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE WHEN PEARL HARBOR WAS BOMBED. THEN WENT TO TRINIDAD, BRITISH WEST INDIES WITH RADAR-EQUIPPED B-18 AIRCRAFT (WHEN RADAR FIRST CAME OUT). IN TRINIDAD FOR 4 MONTHS. LATER DEPLOYED TO PANTANELLA AIR BASE IN ITALY WITH THE 8TH AIR FORCE, 464TH BOMB GROUP, FLYING B-24 AIRCRAFT. THERE UNTIL THE END OF THE WAR IN EUROPE. IN 1944, WHILE STILL IN ITALY, HE WAS AWARDED THE SOLDIER'S MEDAL FOR HEROISM IN SAVING AIRCRAFT AND PERSONNEL DURING A CATASTROPHIC FIRE ON THE FLIGHT LINE. RETURNED TO WALLER FIELD IN TRINIDAD FOR 4 MONTHS UNTIL THE WAR WAS OVER IN JAPAN. DISCHARGED FROM THE SERVICE IN SEPTEMBER 1945.