Alaska Highway. Company H&S and B.
Born: 20 April 1918, Mt. Vernon, NY. Died: 6 August 2001, Dana Point, Orange, CA. Enlisted: 8 April 1941, Los Angeles, CA. Retired from service 31 October 1961.
He went to the University of California in Los Angeles. In the 1940 census it is recorded that he was employed by the California Power Department as an apprentice mechanical engineer.
Second Lt. Bonestell was in the H&S Company of the segregated 97th Engineer Regiment. They landed at Valdez, Alaska on 29 April 1942. Three feet of snow covered the ground. The 97th Engineers built the northern section of the Alaska Highway.
Second Lt. Bonestell was in H&S Company from April 1942 to August 1942. He was assigned to Company B from August 1942 to January 1943. In February 1943 he was transferred to Ft. Lewis, WA. The Weekly Town Talk of Alexandria, Louisiana printed an article stating that 1st Lt. Dean Bonestell had been promoted to Captain and is serving with the U.S. Army in France.
His father was Chester D. Bonestell (1891-1972) and his mother was Helen Aplin Bonestell (1895-1970). Dean married Bernice Kathryn Bonnette 30 October 1943 while a Lieutenant stationed at Camp Claiborne. They had three children, Deborah, Nancie and Peter Bonestell.
Serial #O-455097