Page 50 - South Mississippi Living - July, 2016

KEESLER AFB loyalty at its best LIFELONGDEDICATION
Keesler retiree Francis Hebert shares his story
story by Brian Lamar photos courtesy of KAFB
After the U.S. was attacked at Pearl Harbor and
was waging war on multiple fronts, a skinny young man named Francis Herbert from
Massachusetts quit his job at the Fort Devins troop store when he was drafted. His hands trembled from nerves and eagerness to serve his country as he stood in line at the recruiting station. Luckily he had been mentored by a World War I
veteran who had reenlisted the same day — his dad, who had enough fight left in him for another war.
“I was called into the draft and my father volunteered the same day,” said the 95-year-old retired Chief Warrant Officer 4 Francis Herbert. “I waited to be drafted because I had a job on the base and hadn’t anticipated being in the military.”
Herbert headed to basic training in Atlantic City, N. J. “All of the civilian hotels had been converted to barracks,” he
Retired Chief Warrant Of cer 4 Francis Herbert delivers remarks during a room dedication ceremony in his honor for his 50 years of service in air traf c control in the Army, Army Air Corps, and Air Force from 1942-1972 then as a Keesler civilian instructor for 20 years.
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