REX T. BARBER, Death Notice, 21 Sep 2001, Coke County, TX

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Submitted by Mary Love Berryman - marylove@tyler.net
1 October 2001
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The Observer/Enterprise, 21 Sep 2001, Robert Lee, TX

WORLD WAR II HERO DIES

By C. B. Barbee

When Rex T. Barber died recently in Oregon, America lost one of its 
truly great World War heroes.

On April 18, 1943 he shot down, over Bougainville island, Adm. 
Isuroku Yamamoto, who had masterminded the attack on Pearl Harbor 
December 7, 1941.

The Guadacanal based P. 38 Lightning 339th Fighter Squadron were the 
only planes with the range to make the mission.

The intercepting of the Japanese code, the good planning of the
squandron commander, the courage of the sixteen pilots, and the
assistance of large gasoline belly tanks made the mission a success.

Barber and all those other fighter pilos met head-on the imperilistic 
threat to destroy America and all for which it stood.

America should forever pay tribute to the defenders of freedom.  Yes,
men like Rex Barber.

C. B. Barbee was a member of the 339th Fighter Squadron.