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| Bill Diaz in India |
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| Recent Address: |
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7400 S.W. 140 Terrace, Miami, FL 33158 |
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| Email: |
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littlecheese@worldnet.attnet |
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| Family Information: |
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Parents: Pilar and Fulgencio; Wife: Martha; Children: John, William, Rick |
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| Hometown: |
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New York City, NY |
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| Date Entered Service: |
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February 2, 1944 |
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| Service Number: |
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42059828 |
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| Bomb Group: |
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462nd |
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| Squadron: |
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7700th |
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| Location of Unit: |
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India (December, 1944) |
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| Missions Flown: |
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20 |
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| Hump Missions Flown: |
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3 |
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| Targets: |
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Rangoon, Omura, Formosa (3), Osaka (2), Nagoya, Kobe, Tokyo, Yokohama, Fukui, Omura (Dumbo), Namazu, others |
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| Awards/Decorations: |
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Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Asiatic-Pacific Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, WWII Victory Medal, Air Offensive Japan, Central Burma Campaign, India-Burma Campaign
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| Service Schools Attended: |
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Armorer Gunner - Florida 1944 |
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| Military Specialty(ies): |
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MOS 612-Airplane Armorer-Gunner |
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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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42-65232 Missouri Queen,42-24590 Celestial Princess |
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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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December 12, 1945 |
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| Post-WWII Military Service: |
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| Post-WWII Civilian Occupation(s): |
| After the war attended New York University, BS degree in 1950 -- Physical Education Instructor; 1953-70 High School Phys. Ed. Teacher/Swimming Coach; 1970-85 Univ. of Miami Men's & Women's Swimming Coach; 1985 to present retired. |
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| Thoughts on the 58th Bomb Wing: |
| Great Pilot A.J. Keller; Co-Pilot Bob Jergensen, Flight Engineer Iule Lindy. Flew over the Hump, landed in China, flew to Japan, two Tokyo missions - tough. Landed at Iwo Jima after being shot up over Nagoya, Japan. Osaka - tough mission. |
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| Comments: |
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| Bill Diaz in India |
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Back Row: Alfred J. Keller, Pilot; Robert W. Jurgensen, Co-Pilot; Lewis Patton, Bombardier; Jack Gruber, Navigator; Ivle Lindy, Flight Engineer; Billie J. Gabe, Radio Operator.
Front Row: Raymond E. Stevens, Radar Operator; Thomas F. Harrington, CFC Gunner; William Diaz, Waist Gunner; Steve Mikstay, Waist Gunner; William D. Kinninger, Tail Gunner
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