Captain Harry Cecil Remington Jr., (1922-2002) was born in Dallas, Texas on March 28, 1922 to Harry Cecil and Eileen Remington. He graduated from W. H. Adamson High School in Dallas, Texas in May 1940. On October 24, 1941 Harry married the former Billie Murl Saunders and entered the service. He applied for, and was accepted to the 7 month long Aviation Cadet Program. Harry began Primary Flight Training at the Rankin Aeronautical Academy (Rankin Field) in Tulare, California in February 1943. Rankin Field became one of the 62 civilian-owned flying schools in the U.S. that taught 1.4 million World War II Army pilots to fly. Basic flying skills were taught in the PT-17 Stearman at Rankin. He completed Primary on the 12 April 1943 and it was on to Basic and Advanced Flight Training at Marfa Army Airfield in Marfa, Texas. During Basic, Harry learned formation flight, instruments and aerial navigation skills. During advanced, the Cadets were broken into single-engine and Multi-engine categories. (Roy was multi-engine) Single engine Cadets would go on to fly fighters, and multi-engine Cadets became bomber or transport pilots. Harry flew the BT-13A trainer. He received the silver wings of the United States Army Air Force in Class 43-H from Marfa, Texas [See the  graduation Dance announcement] [invitation card] [see graduation announcement] & from flight school on August 30, 1943 [see the orders] along with several other members of the Second Emergency Rescue Squadron. Hugh Pennington, Bill Holbrook, Larry Bormann, John Denison, John Dickinson, Denzil Kathman, Leroy Nelson, Don Dixon, Frank Rauschkolb, Robert Rohlfing, and Jim Scott were graduates of this class. He then was transferred to Selman Field in Monroe, Louisiana to begin his Transition Flight Training in the PBY-5A. Harry also received the Gold Wings of a Naval Aviator at Pensacola Naval Air Station in January 1944 after completing the Navy syllabus. He and other 2nd ERS members were transferred to Gulfport Field, Mississippi and eventually Keesler Field, Biloxie, Mississippi to complete the Air Sea Rescue Training required by the USAAF. Once complete, the Second Emergency moved to California to begin the transition to the Pacific Theater to join the war effort. He joined the Second Emergency Rescue Squadron in April 1944 as one of the charter members. He flew his first mission on 11 August 1944. While with the Squadron, he and Captain Leroy Nelson were assigned as instructor pilots to transition newly assigned crew to the OA-10A. He flew Eighty-three (83) combat missions totaling six hundred and forty six (646) hours with the 2nd ERS and flew the OA-10A, C-47, B-25, B-17, L-5, and P-38 aircraft while deployed to the Pacific Theater. He was released from the Second Emergency on 13 August 1945 and attached to the 138th Replacement Battalion for transition back Stateside. He received his travel orders, returned home to Dallas, and  eventually left the service in December 1945. After the war Harry applied for, and was accepted to the United States Air Force Reserve in 1950.

In 1960, Captain Remington went to work for Miller Trailers, a company in Bradenton, Florida that builds semi-truck trailers - where he worked for some twenty years. He was a comptroller and worked his way up to Vice President. He attended the First Presbyterian Church where he served as an elder. Harry was a past president of the Brandenton Country Club. He moved to Yazoo City, Mississippi in 1995. In October 2001, Harry and Billie celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary and Harry passed away on March 16, 2002 in the hospital after an illness.

At the time of his death Harry was survived by 2 daughters; Susan and Trudy; 2 sons; Harry Cecil III and John; 14 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren! Trudy passed away in 2003 and his wife Billie passed away February 26, 2013 in Prattville, Alabama - where she moved 5 years before to be close to her daughter.

See a form letter written to Billie Remington from Harry when he arrived at flight school. All of the cadets sent this letter to their loved ones. | See photos from Harry just before and during the war | See the rest of Harry's records below:

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HARRY REMINGTON'S RECORDS

ORDER NO. & DATE

DESCRIPTION  & ISSUING HQ

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