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Contact Info
Home Town Mexia, Texas
Last Address Montecorvino Airfield, Italy
Date of Passing Mar 31, 1944
Location of Interment Woodland Cemetery - Mexia, Texas
Jenkins Harold Bluitt was the seventh child born to Herbert and Ida Bluitt. He was born on February 28, 1913, in Limestone County, Texas. Like most of his siblings, he was a member of the Methodist faith. Jenkins was a product of the Woodland Public School System. Wanting to further his education, he enrolled at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, around 1932. Jenkins returned home briefly. He wanted to complete his education. Therefore, he enrolled at Prairie A&M College. Jenkins did not complete his education, because World War II had begun and many of the young men were going to war. Jenkins did, too.
While at Prairie View, Jenkins met Emma Pauline Jones, a young woman enrolled at the college. Before going off to war, he married Pauline. Jenkins entered the military in March 1943. He completed basic training and was assigned to the African-American flying group at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama. Most members in this unit were college graduates or had college training. Jenkins had this qualification and then some. He made history by becoming a member of the Tuskegee Airmen.
Jenkins was an armorer fitting munitions on P-39, P-40 and P-51 aircraft during 1943 and 1944. He and several of his crew mates were struck by a locomotive, while traveling in a truck away from the camp area (possibly to the flightline) crossing a train track. Jenkins died as a result of injuries to his head on Friday, March 31, 1944.
Jenkins was laid to rest at the U.S. Military Cemetery at Mt. Soprano, Paestrum, Italy, on April 2, 1944. However, his body was disinterred and returned home to Mexia for final burial in the Woodland Cemetery in Limestone County on August 29, 1948.
The 99th Pursuit Squadron was established on 19 March 1941. The squadron was activated on 22 March 1941.The 99th PS was redesignated the 99th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942 and later the 99th FS was designated 99th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 28 February 1944.
Assignments
U.S. Army Air Corp, 22 March 1941
U.S. Army Air Corp Technical Training Command,26 March 1941
Southeast Air Corp Training Center, 5 November 1941
3rd Fighter Command, 19 August 1942 to 2 April 1943
Twelfth Air Force, 24 April 1943
XII Air Support Command, 28 May 1943
*Attached 33rd Fighter Group, 29 May 1943
*Attached 324th Fighter Group, 29 June 1943
*Attached 33rd Fighter Group, 19 July 1943
*Attached 79th Fighter Group, 16 October 1943
*Attached 324th Fighter Group, 1 April 1943 to 6 June 1944
*Attached 332nd Fighter Group, 1 May 1944
*Attached 86th Fighter Group, 11-30 June 1944
477th Composite Group, 22 June 1945
Stations
Chanute Field, Illinois, 22 March 1941
Maxwell Field, Alabama, 5 November 1941
Tuskegee AAF, Alabama, 10 November 1941 to 2 April 1943
Casablanca, French Morocco, 24 April 1943
Qued N'ja, French Morocco, 29 April 1943
Fardjouna, Tunisia, 7 June 1943
Licata, Sicily, 28 July 1943
Termini, Sicily, 4 September 1943
Barcellona, Sicily, 17 September 1943
Foggia, Italy, 17 October 1943
Madna, Italy, 22 November 1943
Capodichino, Italy, 16 January 1944
Cercola, Italy, 2 April 1944
Pignataro, Italy, 10 May 1944
Ciampino, Italy, 11 Jun 1944
Orbetello, Italy, 17 June 1944
Ramatelli, Italy, 6 July 1944
Cattolica, 5 May to June 1945
Commanders
Capt Harold R. Maddux, 22 Mar 1941
2Lt Clyde H. Bynum, 10 Nov 1941
Capt Alonzo S. Ward, 6 Dec 1941
1Lt George S. Roberts, 1 Jun 1942
Lt Col Benjamin O. Davis Jr., 22 Aug 1942
Maj. George S. Roberts, 2 Sep 1943
Capt Erwin B. Lawrence Jr., 13 Apr 1944
Maj. George S. Roberts, 1 Sep 1944
Capt Alfonso W. Davis, 20 Oct 1944
Maj. William A. Campbell, 29 Oct 1944
Capt Wendell M. Lucas, 22 Jun 1945
Maj. William A. Campbell, 3 Jul 1945
Decorations
Distinguished Unit Citations: Sicily, [Jun-Jul] 1943;
Cassino, 12-14 May 1944; Germany, 24 Mar 1945
