| Targets: |
|
|
 |
| Awards/Decorations: |
|
Good Conduct Medal,
American Campaign Medal,
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal,
Distinguished Unit Badge |
| |
|
Service
Schools attended:
|
|
| Airplane Mechanics School-Chanute Field, IL |
1942 |
| Curtiss-Wright-Buffalo, NY (P-40 E & F) |
1942 |
| B-29-Pratt Air Field, KS |
1943 |
|
| |
| Military
Specialty Earned/Assigned: |
|
MOS 747-Airplane and Engine Mechanic
Crew Chief (B-29)
|
| |
| Military
Rank Upon Discharge: |
|
T/Sgt. |
| |
| Crew
Type: |
|
Ground Crew
|
| |
Aircraft
Name and
Serial Number/s: |
|
42-6276 Black Magic,
42-24718 Black Magic II |
| |
| Were
you a POW?: |
|
No
|
Where?: |
|
| |
| Were
you interned?: |
|
No
|
Where?:
|
|
| |
| Date
transferred from the 58th Bomb Wing: |
|
|
| |
| Post-World
war II Military Service: |
|
None |
| |
| Post-World
war II Civilian Occupation/s: |
|
Illinois State -- BS in Ed., MS in Ed., Graduate work Univ. of Ill, Univ. of Washington; Instructor of Industrial Education. Summers: Union Carpenter, Carving Carousel Horses. |
| |
| Thoughts
about service in the 58th Bomb Wing: |
|
This is a very difficult assignment. My life is divided by pre-WWII and post WWII. I enlisted as an idealistic young man right after Pearl Harbor. I knew nothing of war except what my father told me of his experiences in WWI. I really had to grow up in a hurry. I had a great interest in anything flying. I wanted to enlist for pilot training, but due to poor eyesight, ended up as an airplane mechanic which was fine as I was with airplanes. The fighter planes, of course, were my first love but the B-29 was such a great airplane that I was happy as a Crew Chief as anyone could be in a wartime situation.
I lost several planes and, of course, their crews. They never told us but I hope none of them were because of poor maintenance. For my crew and I always did our best and never let a plane go out on a mission that was defective in anyway. |
| |
| Further
Comments : |
|
The world was changed when the Atomic Bomb was detonated. We, the 45th, were on Tinian at the time. Little did we know the future repercussions of this event -- with Russia, the Cold War, now the present threats with North Korea & Iraq. As they say, there will always be wars and rumors of wars. I'm of the age now (82) that to sacrifice my grandchildren and great-grandchildren to any war other than that of saving our country is impossible for me! We have served: Granddad Civil War, Dad WWI, myself WWII. Let my family rest in peace. |
