Prominent Floridians of World War II

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Pensacola native Daniel 'Chappie' James served with the famous Tuskegee Airmen in WWII and later became the first African American to reach four-star rank.

Photo Credit: United States Air Force

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Navy pilot David McCampbell of West Palm Beach was the top scoring ace to survive the war with 34 aerial victories.

Photo Credit: Florida State Archives

From the first African-American four-star general to seven Floridians who received the Medal of Honor.

Seven native or adopted Floridians received the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest award for heroism. Awardees included Crawfordville native Cecil Bolton, for his actions with the 104th Infantry Division in Holland; Robert Femoyer of Jacksonville, an Army Air Corps officer who saved the lives of his crew despite fatal wounds; Navy pilot David McCampbell of West Palm Beach, the top scoring ace to survive the war with 34 aerial victories; Thomas B. McGuire, Jr., of Sebring, an Army Air Force pilot who destroyed 38 Japanese planes; Robert M. McTureous, Jr., of Altoona, for heroic actions on Okinawa; James Mills of Fort Meade for heroism at Anzio Beachhead in Italy; and Alexander R. Nininger, Jr., of Fort Lauderdale for valor in the Philippines. Only Bolton, McCampbell and Mills survived the war.

William Braswell was a Florida Guardsmen who earned a Distinguished Service Cross, a Bronze Star with “V” device, and two Purple Hearts. Future U.S. Congressman Charles Bennett joined the Army and saw combat in the Pacific, earning a Silver Star and a Bronze Star. Sam Gibbons, also a future U.S. Congressman, parachuted into Normandy early on the morning of June 6, 1944, with the famed 101st Airborne Division. Future Senator George Smathers served in the Marines and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel, while Sumter Lowry of Tampa commanded the 56th Artillery Brigade on New Guinea, and received a Distinguished Service Medal.

Other prominent Floridians included Paul Tibbets of Miami, who piloted the Enola Gay in August 1945 when it dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, and Pensacola native Daniel “Chappie” James, who served with the famous Tuskegee Airmen in WWII, flew fighters in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and in 1975 became the first African American to reach four-star rank. In the late 1970s, General James was tapped as a potential candidate for lieutenant governor of Florida but died of a heart attack just a few weeks after his retirement.