On R&R at a shooting range in Nevada, Carey met Clark Gable. When Carey was based in California, he went to the USO dances in Hollywood. He danced with Greta Garbo and took photos with her.
On his last R&R he was sent home and returned on his own early because he couldn't stand being away any longer. His very first mission when he returned was also his last since this was the doomed flight where his B-24 dissapeared somewhere near the Alutian Islands on August 11, 1943.
This story was told by his brother, William "Billy" Benton, 6-26-2009.
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Staff Sergeant (SSgt) is E-5 in the U.S. Air Force, just above Senior Airman and below Technical Sergeant. It is the Air Force's first non-commissioned officer rank as well as the first Air Force rank to which promotion is on a competitive basis. Senior airmen are considered for promotion if they attain that rank on or before February 1 of that testing year. This is so that they will have a minimum of 6 months time-in-grade before the first promotion date of that testing year, however in a normal career progression one achieves this grade after 5 to 7 years in service. Staff sergeants are expected to be technically proficient and function as first-line supervisors within a workcenter. After being selected for promotion senior airmen must attend Airman Leadership School, which teaches them basic leadership and how to write performance reports. The term of address is Staff Sergeant or Sergeant.
8-11-1943
Carey Benton served in the USAF 21st Bomber Squadron, 28th Bomber Group, Heavy. He was a radio operator and gunner. Carey and his crew were flying missions over Kiska which was occupied by Japan. The B-24 dissapeared August 11, 1943 over the Paramushira Strait, Alutian Islands. The B-24 was last seen by another bomber with fire coming out of the engines. It had been hit by Japanese fire. One report states that this mission was to bomb a nearby Japanese sub. Carey and his crew were officially declared missing in action 1/12/1946. Their names are on the Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu, Hawaii Memorial.
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*Pilot: Harrell Ringo Hoffman *Co-Pilot: Robert J. Riddle *Navigator: Carroll William Cramer *Bombardier: Edward Richardson Bacon, III *Eng-Gunner: Myron Marvin Brown *Radio Op-Gunner: John Joseph Antoniono *Radar Observer: Sammie Carey Benton *Asst. Eng-Gunner: Raymond George Brown *Armorer-Gunner: Richard H. Quackenbush *Photographer: Nick John Mesa
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1946
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Notice in the Denham Springs News confirming the death of Sammie Carey Benton.
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Pilot: Harrell Ringo Hoffman
Co-Pilot: Robert J. Riddle
Navigator: Carroll William Cramer
Bombardier: Edward Richardson Bacon, III
Eng-Gunner: Myron Marvin Brown
Radio Op-Gunner: John Joseph Antoniono
Radar Observer: Sammie Carey Benton
Asst. Eng-Gunner: Raymond George Brown
Armorer-Gunner: Richard H. Quackenbush
Photographer: Nick John Mesa
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World War II Honor Roll
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The USAAF established a series of airfields under the command of Eleventh Air Force, headquartered at Elmendorf Army Airfield, near Anchorage. Major airfields and known major units assigned to these airfields were:
Adak AAF, Adak Island , Aleutians
51°52′48″N 176°38′50″W / 51.88°N 176.647222°W / 51.88; -176.647222 (Adak)
343d Fighter Group (March 7, 1943 – July 25, 1943)
28th Bombardment Group (March 14, 1943 – February 26, 1944)
42d Fighter Squadron (September 10 – December 12, 1942) (54th FG)
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Blue and yellow are the Air Force colors. Blue alludes to the sky, the primary theater of Air Force operations. Yellow refers to the sun and the excellence required of Air Force personnel. The winged star-in-circle is adapted from the Air Force logo and is a stylized representation of the North Star, which suggests the 11th Air Force's home base in the Alaska and the scope of the organization's defense mission. The "11" refers to the numerical designation of the unit.
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The 11th Air Force was originally constituted as Alaskan Air Force on December 28, 1941 and activated January 15, 1942. It was re-designated the 11th AF in February 1942. The 11th AF participated in operations in the Aleutians and was involved with the defense of Alaska.
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This book tells about the last flight of Sammie Carey Benton and his crew.
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Denham Springs, LA
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Written on back: Bill, Grace, Carey, mother & Earle Carey's last leave home - shot down shortly after over Japan.
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Carey is 2nd person from left, 1st row
Honolulu, Hawaii
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