World War II Honoree

James Edward O'Neill

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Boston, Massachusetts

Honored By

Dr. William R. O'Neill Tracey

Relationship

Brother

DRAFTED IN APRIL 1942 AND ASSIGNED TO FORT DEVENS, MASSACHUSETTS FOR BASIC INFANTRY TRAINING. IN APRIL 1943, TRANSFERRED TO THE ARMY AIR CORPS AND ASSIGNED TO MAXWELL FIELD, ALABAMA AND LODWICK AVIATION MILITARY ACADEMY IN AVON PARK, FLORIDA FOR FLIGHT TRAINING. REASSIGNED TO KEESLER FIELD, BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI AND THEN TO ARMY AIR FORCE TECHNICAL TRAINING SCHOOL IN SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA FOR TRAINING AS A RADIO OPERATOR. REASSIGNED TO BIGGS FIELD IN ARLINGTON, TEXAS FOR B-24 CREW, AERIAL GUNNERY TRAINING. REASSIGNED OVERSEAS IN SEPTEMBER 1943 TO NAPLES, ITALY AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO ARMY AIR CORPS COMMUNICATION SERVICE, ROBERTS AIR FIELD, LIBERIA WHERE HE SERVED AS AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER. HE RETURNED TO THE U.S. AND WAS DISCHARGED AT FORT DEVENS, MASSACHUSETTS IN MARCH 1946, WITH THE RANK OF SERGEANT.