World War II Honoree

Ira M. Bird

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Honored By

Josephine Bird

ENLISTED IN THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE ON NOVEMBER 4, 1940. ARRIVED IN NEW GUINEA, ABOUT A MONTH AFTER GRADUATING FROM NAVIGATION SCHOOL AT MATHER FIELD, SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA. HE FLEW 43 MISSIONS. WEARING THE SILVER STAR AND DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, HE ARRIVED HOME, ON NOVEMBER 5, 1943. HAVING A PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY, HE MEMORIZED THE COASTLINE OF NEW GUINEA FROM A MAP AND WHEN THEIR B-17 WAS RETURNING FROM A BOMBING MISSION WITHOUT LIGHTS, HE WOULD LIE ON HIS BELLY IN THE BOMB BAY AND SCRUTINIZING THE COASTLINE, GUIDE THE PLANE BACK TO HOME BASE. BY 1946, IRA M. BIRD WAS IN COMMAND OF THE AIR SCHOOL FOR COMBAT NAVIGATION AT DAVIS MONTHAN FIELD IN TUCSON, ARIZONA.