Riders will prepare the flag line at the grave site and stand the flag line to honor this WWII hero.  The family has requested the Patriot Guard to act as pall bearers and to provide a small escort from the funeral home to the grave site a short distance away.  Four big flag bikes will be assigned to provide the escort.

Cecil Preston Cornett
Born: 10/29/1925 in Corsicana, Texas to Cecil P. Cornett Sr & Mary M. Ross
Entered into the US Navy on 1/22/1944 in Wichita Falls, TX.  
Served aboard the US Navy Destroyer “USS Watts DD 567”.   Once onboard, the USS Watts left from San Diego to Pearl Harbor, then onto the Aleutian Islands, making several bombardment runs on Northern Japan.  From the Aleutian Islands the USS Watts traveled to Okinawa, shooting down several suicide planes while rescuing survivors from a disabled USS Denver DD 791, while witnessing the USS Twiggs DD 591 blown up after being hit by an aircraft torpedo and suicide plane.  After leaving Okinawa, the USS Watts traveled to the Philippine Islands joining forces with the 3rd Fleet under the command of Admiral William “Bull” Halsey heading to Tokyo Bay.  While there, peace was signed ending WWII, and traveled back to Pearl Harbor then through the Panama Canal to the Philadelphia ship yard. Seaman 1st Class Cecil Preston Cornett was awarded several medals during his service period.  He was discharged at Norman, OK on 1/05/1946.

He was retired from Bell Helicopter Textron 
He is survived by his brother, Bill H. & Ruth Cornett of Red Oak, TX as well as numerous nieces and nephews, and many friends.

