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Thomas Leonard Cheek, Jr.
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| Thomas Cheek, 1944 |
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| Current Address: |
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911 Millspring Drive, Durham, NC 27705 |
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| Email: |
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| Family Information: |
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My ancestors fought in most America's wars beginning as a Whig against the Tories in the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, two relatives, Lt. Cheek at Gettysburg, another at New Orleans, two uncles in WWI and myself and a brother in WWII Air Force. |
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| Hometown: |
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Durham, NC |
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| Date Entered Service: |
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August 14, 1942 |
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| Service Number: |
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34314191 |
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| Bomb Group: |
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462nd |
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| Squadron: |
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768th |
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| Location of Unit: |
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Walker Field, KS (1943) |
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| Missions Flown: |
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I flew as an observer on the first flight of the XB-29 with Sq. Cmdr Maj. Wheeler Martin. Witnessed the crash of another XB-29. Major Martin was lost on the first flight over Japan from the Marianas. |
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| Hump Missions Flown: |
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| Targets: |
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Burma, Formosa, Japan, Palembang |
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| Awards/Decorations: |
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Air Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 4 Bronze Stars, Philippine Liberation Citation
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| Service Schools Attended: |
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Air Maintenance-Keesler 1942-1943; Electronics-Chanute Field 1943; B-29 Maintenance-Boeing, Seattle,WA 1943 |
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| Military Specialty(ies): |
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Scanner (left) B-29-Electronics |
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| Rank Upon Discharge: |
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S/Sgt |
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| Crew Type: |
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Flight crew |
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| Airplane Serial No.& Name: |
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Linda Lou (lost at Marrakech on takeoff en route to India), 42-93830 Torrid Toby, 42-6219 (XB-29) Petrol Packin' Mama - brought back from India |
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| Were you a POW? |
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No |
| If so, where? |
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| Were you interned? |
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No |
| If so, where? |
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| Date Transferred from the 58th: |
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| Date Discharged from the 58th: |
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October, 1945 |
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| Post-WWII Military Service: |
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Air Force Reserve for one year |
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| Post-WWII Civilian Occupation(s): |
| Dairy Products -- Processing and Distribution; Furnished Milk to Fort Bragg, Pope Field, Seymour Johnson Air Base, Camp Lee and Camp Pickett |
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| Thoughts on the 58th Bomb Wing: |
| 1. New outlook on life and death. 2. Expanded horizons -- USA, India and China and over Japan at 2000 feet. 3. To conquer fear and face danger. |
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| Comments: |
| Tom Cheeks passed away in November 2008 |
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