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