Riverside in Montgomery County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

5th Air Force

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., December 4, 2009

1. 5th Air Force Memorial

Inscription.

5th Air Force. . Dedicated to the men and women who served in the 5th Air Force in World War II, The 5th Air Force, Commanded initially by General George C. Kenney the 5th Air Force, although holding a low priority for men and equipment, wrested control of the air from the Japanese over the skies of New Guinea in late 1942 and helped stop the Japanese drive in Papua. From there the 5th led the way for a combination of Army and Navy forces to neutralize the islands of the Bismarck Archipelago, the Netherlands East Indies, and to liberate the Philippines. When the war ended in August of 1945 elements of the 5th were moving to the Ryukyus in preparation for the invasion of Japan., The 5th Air Force fought not only in world war two but in the Korean War as well. It remains stationed in the Far East on the date this memorial is dedicated and proudly claims to be serving on “the tip of the spear.”, Countries and Islands Where 5th Air Force world war two Units Served, Australia . New Guinea . Schouten Island (OWI) . Biak . Noemfoor . Morotai . Leyte . Tanauan . Angaur . Mindoro . Samar . Luzon . Okinawa . Japan, world war two Medal of Honor Winners, Major Richard I. Bong, 49th Ftr Gp Major Ralph Cheli, 38th Bomb Gp Lt JG Nathan G. Gordon, USN, Navy Patrol Sq 34 Colonel Neel E. Kearby, 348th Ftr Gp Major Thomas B. McGuire, Jr., 475th Ftr Gp Captain Harl Pease, Jr., 19th Bomb Gp Lt Joseph R. Sarnoski, 43rd Bomb Gp Major William A. Shomo, 71st Tac Recon Gp Brig. Gen. Kenneth Walker, V Bomber Command Major Raymond H. Wilkins, 3rd Attack Gp Major Jay Zeamer, Jr., 43rd Bomb Gp, The 5th Air Force Insignia, The crowing feature of this memorial is a representation of the 5th Air Force insignia which consisted of an ultramarine blue disc with the five stars of the Southern Cross in white. Hurling across the disc is a flaming comet, the head of the comet consisting of a white five pointed star, charged with a red roundel, within a blue disc outlined in white, and its tail of three white streamers; all surrounded by a golden orange Arabic number “5”. The stars of the Southern Cross are symbolic of the skies of the Southwest Pacific area where the 5th Air Force was organized in early 1942. It was formed from remnants of the Army Air Force organizations which escaped to Australia from the Philippines and from units freshly arrived from the United States., Dedicated June 24, 1988.

Dedicated
to the men and women
who served in the
5th Air Force
in World War II

The 5th Air Force

Commanded initially by General George C. Kenney the 5th Air Force, although holding a low priority for men and equipment, wrested control of the air from the Japanese over the skies of New Guinea in late 1942 and helped stop the Japanese drive in Papua. From there the 5th led the way for a combination of Army and Navy forces to neutralize the islands of the Bismarck Archipelago, the Netherlands East Indies, and to liberate the Philippines. When the war ended in August of 1945 elements of the 5th were moving to the Ryukyus in preparation for the invasion of Japan.

The 5th Air Force fought not only in WW II but in the Korean War as well. It remains stationed in the Far East on the date this memorial is dedicated and proudly claims to be serving on “the tip of the spear.”

Countries and Islands Where 5th Air Force WW II Units Served

Australia • New Guinea • Schouten Island (OWI) • Biak • Noemfoor • Morotai • Leyte • Tanauan • Angaur • Mindoro • Samar • Luzon • Okinawa • Japan

WW II Medal of Honor Winners

Major Richard I. Bong, 49th Ftr Gp
Major Ralph Cheli, 38th Bomb Gp
Lt JG Nathan G. Gordon, USN, Navy Patrol

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Sq 34
Colonel Neel E. Kearby, 348th Ftr Gp
Major Thomas B. McGuire, Jr., 475th Ftr Gp
Captain Harl Pease, Jr., 19th Bomb Gp
Lt Joseph R. Sarnoski, 43rd Bomb Gp
Major William A. Shomo, 71st Tac Recon Gp
Brig. Gen. Kenneth Walker, V Bomber Command
Major Raymond H. Wilkins, 3rd Attack Gp
Major Jay Zeamer, Jr., 43rd Bomb Gp

The 5th Air Force Insignia

The crowing feature of this memorial is a representation of the 5th Air Force insignia which consisted of an ultramarine blue disc with the five stars of the Southern Cross in white. Hurling across the disc is a flaming comet, the head of the comet consisting of a white five pointed star, charged with a red roundel, within a blue disc outlined in white, and its tail of three white streamers; all surrounded by a golden orange Arabic number “5”. The stars of the Southern Cross are symbolic of the skies of the Southwest Pacific area where the 5th Air Force was organized in early 1942. It was formed from remnants of the Army Air Force organizations which escaped to Australia from the Philippines and from units freshly arrived from the United States.

Dedicated June 24, 1988

Erected 1988 by 5th Air Force Memorial Foundation and 5th Air Force Reunion Organizations.

Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., December 4, 2009

2. 5th Air Force Memorial

lists: Air & Space • War, Cold • War, Korean • War, World II.

Location. 39° 46.809′ N, 84° 6.743′ W. Marker is in Riverside, Ohio, in Montgomery County. Marker (Memorial #98) is in the Memorial Park of the National Museum of the United States Air Force, with museum access off Springfield Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1100 Spaatz Street, Dayton OH 45431, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. 483rd Bombardment Group (H) (a few steps from this marker); 446th Bomb Group (H) (a few steps from this marker); Purple Heart Memorial (a few steps from this marker); 43rd Bombardment Group (a few steps from this marker); 303rd Bomb Group 'H' (a few steps from this marker); 485th Bomb Group (Heavy) (a few steps from this marker); 98th Bomb Group (a few steps from this marker); 448th Bombardment Group (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Riverside.

Also see . . .
1. NMUSAF Memorial Park Diagram. (Submitted on February 12, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
2. USAF 5th Air Force Fact Sheet

5th Air Force History Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., December 4, 2009

3. 5th Air Force History Marker

. (Submitted on February 12, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
3. 5th Air Force. (Submitted on February 12, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)

5th Air Force WWII Service and Medals of Honor image. Click for full size.

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., December 4, 2009

4. 5th Air Force WWII Service and Medals of Honor

5th Air Force Insignia Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., December 4, 2009

5. 5th Air Force Insignia Marker

5th Air Force Memorial Sponsors image. Click for full size.

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., December 4, 2009

6. 5th Air Force Memorial Sponsors

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., December 4, 2009

7. 5th Air Force Memorial Sponsors

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., December 4, 2009

8. 5th Air Force Memorial

Looking NE toward Valor Park and museum.

NMUSAF Memorial Park Sign image. Click for full size.

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr.

9. NMUSAF Memorial Park Sign

Credits. This page was last revised on August 26, 2022. It was originally submitted on February 12, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 2,187 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. submitted on February 12, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. 9. submitted on December 28, 2009, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.