Today my walk was dedicated in honor of :
Army Air Corps WWII 1st Lt. Henry Oren Cox Jr, Age 22 of Crossville, TN
KIA Sep. 16, 1943
He was a graduate of the 1940 class of CCHS.
Henry was enrolled in his second year at Tennessee Polytechnic Institute, however, he left college to enlist in the US Army Air Corps on Jan. 22, 1943, and was among the first to receive his pilot’s silver wings at George Filed, IL. Her served in the 388th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 8th Air Force, 3rd Air Divisions from 1943-1945, 306 being combat missions. Henry O. Cox Jr was a pilot in the 567th Bomb Squadron on a B17-F (Flying Fortress), the “Sondra Kay,” named for the baby of one of the crew members.
The 8th Air Force Historical Society lists an engagement on Sept. 16, 1943, as follows, 93 of the 148 B-17s, after bombing the German U-Boat pens at LaPallice, and Luftwaffe installations, destroying 22 German aircraft, headed back to England. On the return flight the formations had to break up and return independently due to inclement weather. Four B-17 aircraft were lost, with 44 crew members killed in action. One plane crashed into the Black Mountains, one on Exmoor, one made a forced landing on three engines at Shobden.
1st Lt. Henry Oren Cox Jr.’s aircraft, short of fuel and in poor visibility, crashed near Rhayader, England. 1st Lt. Cox was buried at the American Military Cemetery in Cambridge, England. He was posthumously awarded an Army Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster. He also was awarded the Purple Heart.
We had an amazing walk this morning. We walked to the war memorials down town and read his name and then walked to the Cemetery to visit his memorial stone. I want to thank everyone that honked and waved in helping me honor this hero. It was amazing.
He will not be forgotten !
