Walter A Cantrell

T/Sgt Walter A Cantrell, Radio/Gunner

  Technical Sergeant Walter A. Cantrell was an original member of the 447th BS, 321st BG.  He flew 50 Combat Missions in the African Theatre.   Capt. R. Richardson and the "HARP" # 41-31007....was the ship he flew over in, and 49 of his 50 missions in her. 

  Walter Cantrell rang in the new year, 1942, by joining the AAC.  (Jan. 3rd, 1942)   After Basic training at Shepard Field, Texas........ he went to the Scott Field AAC Radio Training Academy, in Illinois.   He then was assigned to the Gunnery School in Arlington Texas....... and on to the 447th BS, and went to S. C.   He joined the Lt. Albert Duke crew and started his flight training....which also included some "bomb runs, using 2 pound sacks of flour".    Although he trained with Duke, only days before departure from De Ridder Air Base in La. , Lt. Duke flew in with a new ship, the TRIGGER # 42-13171, and it was equipped with the New Secret Airborne RADAR.  At this time he was replaced with his soon-to-be-new friend, Sergeant Edward Ennis, freshly graduated from AIRBORNE RADAR School at The CLUB in Boca Raton, Fla. (Boca Raton Army Air Field...(BRAAF)  soon to be dedicated and opened for it's first "Official" class in Oct. '42)   Ed Ennis was assigned to Lt. Duke on Jan. 1st, or 2nd, 1943.   That's when Walter was transferred to the R. Richardson Crew, and the HARP.....Walter was very well liked, and was completely happy with his new crew and ship.  OH, the 50th mission ?  Walter has NO memory of it !  He thought it was bad luck that meant that he was not coming home !   Walter completed his 50th Mission on Sept. 14th, 1943 and was qualified for Officers School before he left Africa.  He returned to the ZI in Oct. '43  (Zone of the Interior) and attended Cadet School.     Walter earned the EAME and Three Bronze Stars, The Air Metal, GO 11 NASAF 43, with One Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and Three Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters. Barbi Ennis Connolly, 321stBG Historian. PRINCESSBARBI_B25@msn.com

 Walter Cantrell became friends with Carl Hannaman in Radio School....then became tent mates when they trained in Columbia, SC in the after being assigned to the 447th BS.  Then on to De Ridder in LA for Aerial Gunnery and where he became friends with "C.O."-"Brownie"  Charles O. Brown, Jr.  When Ed Ennis showed up from Airborne RADAR School, he was thrilled to see His Best friend "Brownie"....from Radio at the Scott Field AAC Radio Academy in Illinois.

     Walter Cantrell went with Lt. R. Richardson in the HARP, #41-31007      Carl Hannaman went by boat, but having all 50 missions in the HARP, #41-31007      Dan O'Connell went with Lt. R. Richardson in the HARP #41-31007      Edward Ennis went with Lt. A. Duke in the TRIGGER, #41-13171      "Brownie" Charles O.Brown went with Lt. C. Grantham in the HUCKELBERRY DUCK #41-12925           Walter was the most likable guy, and seems to have made friends with so very many.  In Georgia, he hung out with Jim Stanton, and Lawrence Rider, turret gunner/KIA.  Rider was from Chicago and always said "When he got home, he was gonna' put a turret on top of his ole' Buick and become a Gangster !"   He remembered Clyde Morganti whose ship was lost in NC...he still had the rip-cord ring in his hand when he got back to base !   Besides Ennis and CO-Brownie and "The Bike" .......he talks about how funny Vaughn Jones (Johnsey) was, and Lieberman...and Tate, and ...... Waldrip, Garret, the Navigator from Tucson... Oscar Daume from St. Louis, Francis Noble from NY... Bernie Quilty, Bombardier !  The dogs, and puppies !  In fact, Walter and the original crew attended Lt. Albert Duke's wedding !  Walter called everyone friend.  Athough most of his pictures and mementos got "lost in the move" somewhere....OH, the STORIES !  By Walter's "New Best Friend !"  Barbi Ennis Connolly PRINCESSBARBI_B25@msn.com