The Man Behind the Name
Joined 93rd Bomb Group, 409th Bomb Squadron, Hardwick on Jan. 21, 1944. Flew 34 combat missions; shot down two ME-109s. Survived a crash landing at Manston on his 13th mission and bailed out over Norwich on his 33rd mission (member of the Caterpillar Club). Flew his 24th mission on his 19th birthday — believed to be one of the youngest airmen in the 2nd Air Division. Flew two missions on D-Day.
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.
Born June 4, 1925 in San Diego, CA. Entered USAAC on Jan. 17, 1943 during his senior year of high school (lied about his age). Basic training at Keesler Field, MS; Armorer School at Buckley and Lowry Fields, Denver, CO; Gunnery School at Harlingen, TX. Crew assignment at Wendover Field, UT; additional training at Davis-Monthan Field, AZ; Alamogordo, NM; Lincoln, NE; Morrison Field, West Palm Beach, FL.
Discharged Oct. 17, 1945 as staff sergeant. Received two Distinguished Flying Crosses, Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters, Good Conduct Medal, two Distinguished Unit Citations, and five European Campaign Ribbons. Married high school sweetheart Catalina Brionez on Easter Sunday, April 21, 1946; five children, four grandchildren.