"Joe" Joseph Jasper SHires entry into the Army in April 1943 1st Lt. "Joe" Joseph Jasper Shires Birth: 15 Nov 1923 Obion TN Death: 24 Dec 1964 Veterans Hospital, Little Rock AR His serial # 0 207 323 8 Active Service: 2 Oct 1944 Date of Separation: 3 March 1946 - SAD AAF PDC San Antonio TX Joe was a navigator (B-24) 394th Squadron 5th Bomb Group "H" 13th Air Force Philippines He flew 33 combat missions over Southwest Pacific: Southern Philippines 1945, Luzon 1945, West Pacific 1945, New Guinea April 1945 Decorations and Citations: 1. Air Metals July 1945 2. 2nd OlC to Air Metal Oct 1945 3. Philippine Liberation Ribbon with star 1945 4. Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Metal 5. World War Victory Metal 6. Veterans Lapel Button 1946

HEADQUARTERS 13th AIR FORCE

The Philippines First Lieutenant Joseph J Shires, son of Mr and Mrs Walter A. Shires of Obion has recently been awarded a second Oak Cluster in lieu of an additional Air Medal for meritorious achievement while participating in several aerial combat, which took him over Japanese strongholds on Borneo, Formosa and the Philippines. Overseas seven months Lieutenant Shires is a navigator on a B-24 Liberator bomber of the "Bomber Barons" now based on Samar, Philippines. The group twice awarded Distinguished Unit Citation for spearheading "Jungle Air Force" aerial attacks on Woleai Island and Balikpapan, Borneo, has the record for the longest service of all the heavy bombardment groups in the Pacific. The "Bomber Barons" blasted the Japs in central, South and Southwest Pacific as well as in the China-Burma-India theater. In addition to the Air medal Shires wears three battle stars on the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon and the Philippines Liberation Ribbon with one star. Prior to his entry into the Army in April 1943, he attended the University of Tennessee.