The Man Behind the Name
Alvord graduated as a second lieutenant navigator in June 1943. He flew in B-24s throughout the war in Europe, assigned to the 93rd Bomb Group at Hardwick. His combat flying took him across Europe including England, France, Germany, Russia, Italy, and Africa. His first mission was the low-level Ploesti raid, and he completed his first tour of 25 missions in February 1944, then a second tour finishing in September 1944 with a total of 35 missions.
Alvord remained in the Air Force after the war and retired as lieutenant colonel in 1965. He was awarded the Silver Star, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, five Air Medals, one Purple Heart, and 31 assorted campaign medals and ribbons, along with six different sets of wings.
Service record.
Missions flown.
The missions below are those we have been able to document for this airman, drawn from flight logs, mission records, and archival sources. It is not necessarily a complete account of every mission flown; gaps may reflect missing documentation, transferred assignments, or records lost to time.
Before and after.
Gene P. Alvord was born in Detroit, MI on May 17, 1919 and raised primarily in Chicago, IL. He entered the Armed Forces on October 9, 1941 as a private and was promoted through the ranks, eventually holding every rank up to master sergeant before entering the Aviation Cadet Program.
After retiring from the Air Force, Alvord worked for the state of Washington. He earned a degree from the University of Maryland, a master's from the University of Washington, and a doctorate from another institution. He married Helen Stone on April 19, 1973 and had six children, nine grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren. He was living in retirement in Tacoma, WA at the time the yearbook was compiled.