Surrounded by his family, friends, fellow veterans and state dignitaries, Henry Howard Bennett was awarded the distinguished Medal of Liberated France during a special ceremony Thursday morning at the State Veterans Home in Collins.
Bennett became a resident at the State Veterans Home on Feb. 26, 2021, and is a 100% Disabled American Veteran. He's also a member of the American Legion Post 90 in Columbia and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
The prestigious medal, which was pinned on Bennett by U.S. Congressman Steven Palazzo, was created in September 1947 to recognize allied armies and liaisons for their invaluable support during the World War II conflicts. Although the medal recognized his service from nearly 76 years ago, Bennett said he was still very grateful and humbled to receive it.
Stacey Pickering, executive director of the Mississippi Veterans Affairs Board, also attended the ceremony and presented Bennett with the American Flag that was flown over the State Capitol in his honor and the corresponding declaration recognizing his service.
Also on hand to commemorate Bennett's recognition was Keltoum Rowland, who serves as the honorary consul of France. Rowland reiterated the level of love, respect and appreciation that the French population have for Bennett and his fellow veterans for their selfless sacrifices during those dark days in history. Rowland is also a lecturer of French and affiliated with the School of Social Sciences and Global Studies at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.
After being drafted into military service on March 17, 1943, Bennett was initially trained to be an aircraft engine mechanic. Upon deployment to active duty on April 6, it took his unit 12 days by boat to reach the theater of operations on April 18. Today, military personnel can reach that destination in approximately seven to nine hours.
By the time he left the military in April 6, 1945, Bennett had flown some 30 missions over Europe during World War II, serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps, which is the predecessor to what is now the U.S. Air Force. He saw more than his fair share of active combat, including flying over the beaches of Normandy on D-Day in 1944, which he said etched horrible scenes in his memory like the blood-red tide along the beach that was colored by the blood of fallen Americans.
As a nose gunner on a B-24 Liberator bomber, one of the most dangerous and vulnerable positions to be during battle – since it's at the very front tip of the aircraft – Bennett jokingly said he always liked to point out that he was the first to see the action and the first to get out of it.
Leo DeOrnellas, adjutant of American Legion Post 90 in Columbia, was among the group of guests who attended the ceremony to congratulate Bennett.
"I call Mr. Howard a hero due to what he was exposed to during World War II. Being a part of American Legion Post 90, and knowing him as I do, there is no doubt he and others like him are heroes to me," DeOrnellas said. "For all who participated and witnessed this event today, they will remember the medal pinning and how he stated he didn’t deserve all the attention. This is a great day and I look up to Mr. Howard and thank the Lord for allowing me to play a small role in this event."
Bennett, who will soon celebrate his 99th birthday, was born Dec. 22, 1922, and raised as one of 16 children on his family's farm near Sumrall. He eventually married his wife, Gaye Stevens, on Nov. 5, 1943, and they celebrated 74 years of marriage. They raised four children, 11 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. Bennett has one surviving sibling, a sister named Rennie Bennett.
