World War II Honoree

Forest W. Coles

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

McLaughlin, South Dakota

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE ENLISTED IN THE U.S. ARMY ON MARCH 6, 1942 IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. AFTER BOOT TRAINING HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE U.S. AIR FORCE, WHERE HE WAS TRAINED AS AN AIRPLANE ARMORER. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 455TH BOMB SQUAD (MEDIUM), 323RD BOMB GROUP. HE DEPARTED THE U.S. ON MAY 5, 1943 ARRIVED IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER ON MAY 11, 1943. HE WAS INVOLVED IN THE AIR OFFENSIVE AGAINST THE ENEMY IN CENTRAL EUROPE, NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND AND ARDENNES. HE AS ENTITLED TO WEAR THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER SERVICE MEDAL WITH 4 OVERSEAS SERVICE BARS. HE SPENT 30 MONTHS IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER AND WAS CREDITED WITH 6 BATTLE STARS. HE RETURNED TO THE U.S. ON AUGUST 7, 1945. HONORABLE DISCHARGED FROM THE U.S. AIR FORCE ON OCTOBER 15, 1945 AT THE SEPARATION CENTER AT CAMP MCCOY, WISCONSIN.