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Registered: August 2008
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Clement H. Armstong
Rankin Field, CA 1942
The aviation career of Clement Harold Armonstrong began in 1938 and continued until his death. During this period, he logged flying time in many types of aircraft, from his solo in a Swallow TP to global missions in the USAF C-141.
He soloed a Swallow TP on October 2, 1940. After accumulating some 100 hours in vaarious contemporary aircraft, many of them OX-5 powered, he was inducted into the U.S. Army Air Corp in October, 1941.
He was accepted into the Aviation Cadet Program and received wings and a commission. After Instructor, Instrument Instructor and Multi-engine Instructor Schools, he became an instructor on B-17s. Reassigned to B-29 transition in March 1945, he was on his way to the Marianas Islands when the war ended in August, and was released from active duty in October 1945. While actively maintaining a Reserve Commission with a unit in Pittsburgh, PA, he helped his longtime friend, Dave Baker, as a flight instructor and charter pilot at Baker's Airpark, Burlington, WV. In September 1950, Lt. Armstrong was ordered to active duty with the U.S. Air Fore, a period which lasted 23 years ntil retirement as a Lt. Colonel in July 1973. Assignments varied from state-side to the Aleutian Islands, the Panama Canal Zone and two tours in Viet Nam. While in Viet Nam with the 773rd Tactical Airlift Squadron, Harold was credited with 1119 combat support sorties and 837 flying hours in the war zone.
In his 32 years of military service, Lt. Col. Armstrong accumulated many commendations, citations and awards including, among others, the Air Medal with nine Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with one Oak Leaf Cluster.
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