* * With the Armed Forces Tim 45th Division, composed partially of an accumulation of decorations the Oklahoma National Guard, including was cited the Silver Star, the Distinguished as a unit for distinguished Flying conduct on the Cross, two Air Medals and beachhead below Rome. a presidential This announce- unit citation . ment was the first official statement as to Lieutenant Kennedy the location of the 45th . was assigned to the Army Air Forces Redistribution Numerous alumni Station at are attached to the Di- Miami Beach, vision, particularly Field Florida, for his next assign- Artillery officers . ment. Many of them have been decorated for valorous action in Sicily and Italy. No- Lt. Col. Edward F. Stephenson, '40 No- Lt. Richard O. Trent, '40=42, Oklahoma m.ed, Oklahoma City, commander of a 45th Division Infantry City, has been decorated with the Dis- battalion throughout the Battle of tinguished Flying Cross for meritorious ac- Sicily and the early days of the Italian campaign, tion in the South Pacific. Overseas since last was awarded the Purple Heart for June, he was injured in August and ground- injuries received at Salerno. ed until November. After he was injured, Colonel Stephenson was sent He has taken part in more than 50 mis- back to North Africa, to serve at a battle sions, transporting supplies and troops over training school for young officers and later territory patrolled by enemy aircraft. was transferred to the United States for a new assignment. He relinquished No- Lt. E. Douglas Lewis, '38-'42, Coyle, his command in Italy to Lt. Col. member of a Bombardment squadron, has Quentin Spradling, '32bus, '40m.ba, Norman. been awarded the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters for meritorious achievement 0- Lt. Joseph L. West, '37-'39, Oklahoma in aerial combat flights against the Japa- City, pilot of a transport plane, received the Distinguished nese in the Pacific war zone. He recently FILMED Flying Cross for heroism in ATTu LANDING flight and completed his 45th mission. Navy Lt. accomplishment above and be- Harold Tacker, '40fa, was yond I" Capt. Hershel S. Carver, Jr., '38-'41, decorated the line of duty in the Southwest Pa- for meritorious conduct as cific. Marine dive-bomber pilot from Holdenville, officer in charge of filming landing op- Lieutenant West has participated in more was awarded the Air Medal with gold Oak erations on Attu. Leaf Cluster for successful missions against than 50 missions, dropping supplies and transporting troops over territory the Japanese at Rendova, Bougainville, add to his previously won Air Medal con- for tinually patrolled by enemy aircraft . Munda and the Russell Islands. service with the Air Force. Captain Carver has returned from the 01 Lt. Harold DO- Lt. Everett F. Goins, '35ba, Rocky Ford, Tacker, '40fa, Norman, South Pacific to the Marine Corps Air Sta- Navy photographer, Colorado, former director of the Port of was awarded the tion near Santa Ana, California . Legion of Merit Nisida, Italy, has received a commendation for the excellence of the photographic Lt. Claude R. Fletcher,'39-'41, Norman, from his commanding admiral for the ex- record he made of military operations has been awarded the Air Medal for dis- cellence of his work on that assignment . on Attu in May, 1943. The award was presented tinguished work as a navigator with the Lieutenant Goins was recently transferred in ceremonies at sea some- where 13th Air Force in the South Pacific. Mrs. from Nisida to Anzio where he was in com- in the Central Pacific. Fletcher, the former Hazel Moore, '42ed, mand of a beach battalion. He also par- Lieutenant Tacker participated in the landing teaches school in Oklahoma City. ticipated in the action at Salerno. on Kiska, the occupation of the 00- Capt. Marshall Islands and the raid on Truk . Be- Glenn D. Kelley,'34-'37, Norman, DO- Lt. Earl C. Garey, '38-'39, Comanche, flight fore entering the Navy, he had charge of commander with the Air Force in former Oklahoma state highway surveyor, England, photography at the University . has been awarded the Air Medal received the Air Medal for "courage, cool- with 0- Capt. Billy Oak Leaf Cluster. He recently visited ness and skill" displayed as navigator on a E. Carson, '38-'40, Jet, pilot of a heavy with Lt. Col. James E. Ensey, '28med, in Flying Fortress during five combat bomber bomber, was awarded an Oak England with the Medical Corps . missions over Europe . Leaf Cluster to add to a previously won Air IN- Medal for bravery in action. Lt. J. S. Munsey, '38-'42, Norman, has 0- Lt. Alfred H. Locke, '39-'40, Eufaula, He took command of a formation over been awarded the Air Medal for service as pilot and crew commander of the Liberator Burma when the flight leader, the a bomber pilot with the Eighth Air Force in Heaven Can Wait, received the Air deputy Medal flight leader and two other aircraft England. He recently wrote Football Coach for meritorious achievement while in the par- lead group had to fall back because of "Snorter" Luster, under whom he played ticipating in five separate bomber en- combat gine failures . The citation stated quarterback in both Norman High School missions over enemy-occupied that Cap- continental tain Carson took the lead despite and the University, that he has been on a Europe . He was recently the. fact promoted to first that three generators in his number of raids on Berlin. lieutenant at his base in plane were England. burned out. 0- Lt. James W. Amis, '37-'38, Hobart, 1 Lt. Paul D. Cummings, '39law, former No- Lt. (jg) Joe D. Mitchell, pilot of a medium bomber, has been award- Alva attorney, was '41, Navy pilot awarded the Order of from Davidson, Oklahoma, ed the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf the Purple Heart for was awarded wounds received in the Distinguished Flying Clusters for service with the Air Force in action in the Mediterranean Cross for heroism theater last fall. and extraordinary the European theater of operations . He was A member of achievement during ac- the Signal Corps, Lieutenant tion against the enemy formerly principal of Hexit Consolidated Cummings in the Solomons. participated in the invasions of Lieutenant Mitchell High School . Sicily and Italy. has participated in numerous flight missions against Japanese 10- Lt. Patrick H. Watts, '36-'40, Waurika, No- Lt. Chester C. Kennedy, '35, Konawa, bases in the Pacific, and once scored a di- navigator-bombardier in the South Pacific, pilot of a Flying Fortress, has returned from rect hit on an enemy destroyer in Kahili has been awarded an Oak Leaf Cluster to a tour of duty in the Southwest Pacific with Harbor. On one mission he was shot down 8 SOONER MAGAZINE and spent two months behind enemy lines Carl W. Staats, Jr., '42-'43, Bartlesville, stationed there at the Air Forces Instrument before reaching his home base. aviation student in the Army Air Force, died Training Center. Lieutenant Finley received op- Lt. Joseph D. McGovern, Jr.' '41bus, February 4 in the Station Hospital at Fort his commission at Ellington Field, Texas, in Wewoka, co-pilot of a Flying Fortress based Crook, Nebraska, of scarlet fever and December, 1942 . At the University he was a in England, was awarded an Air Medal and pneumoniaInonia.HeenteredservicelastJulyandwas member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity an Oak Leaf Cluster for meritorious serv- in training at Creighton University in and Beta Gamma Sigma, honorary busi- ice with the Eighth Air Force. He was in Omaha. Survivors include his parents, Mr. ness fraternity . Survivors include his the Field Artillery before transferring to the and Mrs. Carl Staats, Bartlesville . mother, Mrs. Bessie Finley, Pampa, Texas, Air Force. No- Lt. Gene Jones, '41, Sayre, member of and two sisters, Flora D. Finley, '36-'40, and Pp- Lt. Frank P. Hawk, '40, Norman, bom- an Air Force Bombardment squadron, was Frances Finley, '34-'35. bardier on the Flying Fortress Superstitious killed on January 21 when his plane crashed Lt. J. B . Long, '41pharm, May, Okla- Aloysius, was awarded the Distinguished in a routine take-off from his base in Eng- homa, Army Air Force pilot who has been Flying Cross and the Air Medal with three land. He was buried at Cambridge, Eng- listed as missing in action for the last year, Oak Leaf Clusters for his participation on land. Lieutenant Jones held the Distin- must be presumed to be dead, the War De- 25 flying missions with the Eighth Air guished Flying Cross and the Air Medal partment has announced . The announce- Force. with Oak Leaf Cluster. Survivors include ment stated that nothing has been heard 00- Lt. Col. James E. Mills, '36eng, Nor- his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Newlin Jones, of Lieutenant Long since he left his base in man, of the Marine Corps, received the Sil- Sayre, and his wife, Mrs. Mary Hampton England on February 16, 1943, for a mission ver Star for conspicuous gallantry in action Jones, of Oklahoma City. over enemy territory. Lieutenant Long has on Tarawa from Adm. Chester W. Nimitz Ensign Richard H. Flynn, '35ba, '36 been awarded the Air Medal posthumously, in ceremonies held in the South Pacific. m.ed, Elgin, Kansas, died December 24 in in recognition of the work he did with the Colonel Mills supervised the movement the U. S. Naval Hospital at Bethesda, Eighth Air Force between October, 1942, of an artillery battalion on Tarawa while Maryland, following an illness of 14 months . when he first went to England, and the next under constant enemy fire. He has been in Ensign Flynn enlisted in the Navy in Jan- February. He entered the Air Force in July, action on Guadalcanal and Tulagi and in uary, 1942, and received training as a radio 1941, shortly after graduating from the other Pacific campaigns.