Sgt. Kermit Lay, left the Horse Cavalry and re-enlisted as Private in the Aviation Ordnance. A month later they were ordered to the Philippines, arriving at Nichols Field 45 days before the outbreak of World War II. On the 8th of December 1941 the Japanese destroyed all the planes on the ground. On 24th of December Gen. MacArthur declared Manila an open city and ordered all troops to Bataan.
Air Corps units were issued Springfield rifles and were named Provisional Air Corps Infantry. Kermit received a battlefield commission as 2nd Lieutenant, Infantry, 25th January, 1942 and has the distinction of being the only private to do so. He made the Bataan Death March and was a prisoner of war for 3-1/2 years.
Kermit retired from the Army as a Captain in 1951. He was awarded and received many medals for his duties while serving his country including the Silver Star, the Bronze Star w/ Cluster, the Purple Heart w/ Cluster, the POW Medal, the Combat Infantry Badge, the WW II Victory Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation w/2 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Philippine Unit Citation, the American Defense Medal w/ Star, the Asiatic Pacific Theater Medal w/ 2 Stars, and many more.
Robert
That Sgt. Kermit Lay reminds me of Audie Murphy with all those medals. Rocky