In Memory of Army Air Corps Technical Sergeant
George A. Winters
Brentford, South Dakota
Spink County
January 19, 1920 – October 10, 1944
Killed in Action over Borneo, Netherlands Indies
George A. Winters was born in Brentford, South Dakota on January 19, 1920. His parents were Raymond and Elizabeth Winters. He had a brother, Vincent. He attended school in Brentford and graduated from Brentford High School in 1937. He worked on a farmer near Brentford until moving to San Diego, California in September of 1941 to work for Shell Oil. He returned home after a month and worked for his father.
George entered the Army Air Corps in January of 1942 at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, and trained at Scott Field, Illinois, and Harlingen, Texas, as a gunner in a bomber unit. He served in the Pacific Theater starting in February of 1943. T/Sgt. Winters was first sent to the Panama Canal Zone and made flight runs between there and South America. After six months, he returned to the United States for further training. After completing B-24 school in Tucson, Arizona, he was sent to the Southwest Pacific. He then completed numerous operational tours, particularly participating in the invasion of the Philippines. His squadron received a commendation from General MacArthur.
On a mission over Balik Papan, Borneo of the Netherlands Indies, the plane Sergeant Winters was on went down. Eleven years later the plane’s wreckage was found in the remote jungles of Borneo. His dog tags were presented to his parents.
His family and friends said George Winters had a “spirit of humor and liveliness.”
He was survived by his parents and brother. The American Legion Post in Brentford, South Dakota is named partly in his honor.
This entry was respectfully submitted by Allison VanHatten, 9th Grade, Conde High School, Conde, South Dakota, March 28, 2002. Information for this entry was provided by Eunice Jensen, a cousin of George Winters, and by newspaper clippings.
