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Biographies

2LT. Charles V. McGill

My Father was a the Navigator on the Miss Lee, original cadre ship . MACR 2398. POW Stalag Luft 1 until May 1, 1945. Retired his Commission March 1946 Went back to work at Philco where he was an Industrial Engineer in the Government Contracting Division. He designed the assembly lines for the Nose Cone of the Sidewinder Missile. He moved into the Financial Sector when Ford acquired Philco and it became Ford Aero-Space. He worked closely with the NSA & CIA as supplier of their Crypto Equipment and was instrumental in the sale and design of the Computers used by NASA for the Moon Landing. Sadly he was killed in a car accident at age 63 on his way to work just 16 months from his planned retirement.
He rarely spoke about the missions, he only told stories of the good times he experienced during training and funny things that happened on the ground.

Charles V. McGill, Jr
Worcester, PA

1Lt James Freeh

Uncle Jim was a hero to me.  He taught me to sail and was the kindest man I’ve ever met.my father who is deceased would tell me stories of his bombing missions piloting a B 24.  What bravery!

Robert Freeh
Fremont, OH

Capt. Richard Charles Blaisdell

Richard Charles Blaisdell formerly of Arlington Heights Private memorial services were held for Richard Charles Blaisdell, 87, of Sarasota, Fla., Monday, Nov. 3, 2003, at his residence in Florida. Born March 9, 1916, in Urbana, Ill., the only son of Elsie Mary and Ora Otis Blaisdell, he passed away peacefully, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2003, at his home. Mr. Blaisdell was a veteran of World War II and was a captain and member of the 449th Bomb Group, based in Grottaglie, Italy. He served as lead Bombardier of this group. Richard was employed by the Midwest Service Company of Chicago. He married Beatrice Jensen in the Christian Church on the University of Illinois Campus at Campaign, and on June 13, 2003, they celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary, at their home in Sarasota. He is survived by his wife, Beatrice (nee Jensen) Blaisdell of Sarasota; son, Randall Chase Blaisdell of Louisville, Ky.; and sister, Mary B. Caldwell of Fountain Hills, Ariz. In addition to his parents, Richard was preceded in death by his sisters, Patricia Marie, Dorothy Alberta and Vesta Juanita Blaisdell, and Norma Joan Murray.

Tom Jackson
Gaithersburg, MD

Cpl John Joseph Merry

Corporal Merry appears is the volume ‘Descendants of William McIntyre. McIntyre lived 1689-1758 in Massachusetts and had seven children. Here’s the connection to me:
William McIntyre>Martha McIntyre>Sarah Wylie>Paul Reed>Mary Reed>Charles Merry>Ezekiel Merry>John Joseph Merry

David MacKensie
Seattle, WA

S/Sgt John Danylak

My Grandfather was a War hero to me! He was in the 15th Army Air Forces 449th Flying Horseman 718th bombardment Squadron! He flew the 5th mission on “Hoppy”. He was left waist gunner of the B-24-H aircraft #34. Bailout 15,000 ft. He was MIA near Split, Yugoslavia. He eventually was taken as prisoner. He survived some how and not sure when he made it back! He has a Purple heart that was issued to him while in a VA hospital by President Regan. He unfortunately passed on August 5th 1981. I was only 11 years old. His funeral I will never forget the Jet Air fighters that flew over in memory for him! He definitely went threw a lot we may not understand. I honor him for fighting for our country! I’m a true Patriot because of him!

Jennifer Spinelli
Rochester, NY

1 Lt Lawrence E. Madsen

My father is said to have completed 51 missions piloting B_24s in Europe. 6 of the mission s were bombing runs to Ploesti oil fields. He continued as an Air Force officer until 1969 when he retired. He then became the chief pilot for the University of Texas Board of Regents. He and my mother Margaret raised 4 daughters.

Martha Madsen
Alaska

S/Sgt Robert W. Laine

Doing research on my mother’s first husband, Robert W. Laine, SSgt. He gave mom a son, and me a brother, Robert W. Laine Jr., who has now joined his father KIA. It was humbling to find the information and I wish my mother were alive to know what I found. Very Proud and Thankful of these men!

With humble regards, thank you for making this information publicly available.

Curtis T Grubbs,
USAF, SMSgt, Retired
Fort Worth, TX

Lt. Marcelino Huerta II

Marcelino Huerta is a descendant of Spanish emigrants in Florida. I have detailed information on the family background to expand his biography and contribute to the memory of all those pilots and crew of Asturian origin in northern Spain during World War II

Vicente Suarez
Oviedo – Asturias, Spain

Sgt. George F. Littlejohn

I just recently learned that George Littlejohn is my 2nd cousin. I was looking for WWII vets in my family on an ancestry page and found his. He was with the 449th, 719th Squadron. He was a radio operator and his plane/crew were shot down and he was taken as a POW. I would like to know the name of the mission/operation he was on during that time. It’s a real honor to have this WWII in my family as well as many others I have found. I’m keeping a genealogy book of records of my family and would love to add that mission to his page. Thank you in advance.

Trina Hayes
Weatherford, Texas

Sgt Frank L. “Buck” Johnson

Part of Crew 605 (Skolfield crew), Buck was wounded during a bombing run over Germany when flak hit him in his nose gunner station resulting in the award of a purple heart. Once he returned to the US and was stationed in Sioux Falls, SD, he traveled to Sioux City, IA and met Norma Peck, whom he married in 1946. They were married for 70 years and raised 5 children.  He moved to New Brighton, PA, for 3 years, and also made a brief move to his boyhood home in Blacksburg, VA.  However, most of his post-service life was spent in Sioux City, IA.  Buck was a carpenter and eventually owned and operated his own residential construction business in Sioux City, for about 25 years. Some of that period found him in partnership with his life-long buddy (and brother-in-law as they married sisters) Robert L. Young from the same Crew 605. Buck eventually moved to the Kansas City area in 1985 and continued his construction activities in several capacities including renovating old textile buildings in Kansas City to condos. He eventually moved to co-managing an apartment complex in Belton, MO with his wife with Buck doing the handy man work around the apartment complex. Buck’s passion was his faith in God and service to his church wherever he lived.  He was the song leader, choir member, deacon, Sunday school teacher, and always held Christ first in his life.  He also enjoyed and supported his childrens’ activities and his grandchildrens’ activities.  He retired at age 82. He passed to heaven in October, 2016, following the celebration of his 90th birthday and 70th wedding anniversary earlier that year.  Buck was a devout patriot and honored his country throughout his adult life.

Terry Johnson
Stilwell, KS

90th Birthday, March 28, 2016

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