Ash done – They Were There – Blood, Toil, Tears & Sweat

18 September 2020

VRACIU, Alexander (#303)

Cdr Alexander VRACIU, of Romanian parentage, was born in 1918 and after university entered the US Navy in June 1941, being commissioned before later joining VF-6 SQUADRON as wingman to and learning much from Lt Cdr Edward ‘Butch’ O’Hare, the Navy’s first fighter ace.

18 September 2020

STORK, J Royden (#301)

Captain J Royden STORK for Operation Shangri-La, the DOOLITTLE Tokyo RAIDERS, flew off the carrier USS HORNET with B-25 Mitchells on the morale raising 18th April, 1942 raid which also affected Japanese strategy. He was born in Frost, Minnesota in 1916 and graduated from college in October 1940, entering the Army Air Corps and learning to fly on Stearmans at Hemet CA, where they lost a quarter of the course on their primary flying.

18 September 2020

ELDER, Robert M (#299)

Captain ROBERT M ‘Bob’ ELDER US Navy, a highly decorated Douglas SBD DAUNTLESS (“Slow But Deadly”) combat pilot in most of the Pacific’s naval aircraft carrier engagements including the Battles of the CORAL SEA and MIDWAY, GUADALCANAL, the SOLOMON and MARSHALL ISLANDS campaigns, represents the success of US Naval air power against the Japanese Fleet.

18 September 2020

COX, John W (#298)

Captain John W COX USAAF Airplane Commander for the B-29 SUPERFORTRESS Bombing RAIDS on TOKYO and Japan from TINIAN

18 September 2020

GALBRAITH, William P (#297)

William P GALBRAITH US ARMY, born in January 1924, here represents “I” Company in the 3rd Battalion, the 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment, the original main component of the United States Army 101st AIRBORNE DIVISION (filmed as The Band of Brothers) and took part in both Operations OVERLORD and MARKET GARDEN

18 September 2020

RASMUSSEN, Philip M (#293)

Lt Colonel Philip M RASMUSSEN USAAF and USAF, born in Boston in 1918, shot down a Jap attacker with his runaway gun, when he was able to fly off in a P-36 HAWK, when his airfield, WHEELER FIELD, was attacked and represents Hawaii’s air defence during the Japanese 7th December, 1941 attack on PEARL HARBOR and neighbouring airfields, which would change history.

18 September 2020

DeLONG, Phillip C (#292)

Colonel Phillip C DeLONG, US Marine Corps was born in Jackson, Michigan, in 1919. After graduating from university in aeronautical engineering, he would become the leading VMF-212 Squadron fighter pilot and represents the MARINE CORPS contribution to victory in the SOLOMON ISLANDS campaign and that of the inverted gull ‘bent wing’ CORSAIR F-4U-1As in WW2.

18 September 2020

ISON, Paul E (#291)

Private First Class Paul E ISON represents the savage fighting for OKINAWA, whose photograph was taken when he was crossing Death Valley on 10th May 1945 – this in turn became the fighting symbol of the UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS in the PACIFIC WAR and was one of the most iconic taken in WW2.

18 September 2020

SWETT, James Elms (#302)

If Swett had a taste for trouble, he was born at the right time. And he would rise to meet it both promptly and bravely, for his first day of action would lead to the downing of 8 enemy planes and the award of a Medal of Honor for his actions. He would go on to shoot down a further 7.5 planes and receive further decoration for his bravery and actions: two Distinguished Flying Crosses and five Air Medals.

29 August 2020

LOATS, Norman (#300)

Born in in 1922, Norman Loats joined the US Navy in July 1942 and was assigned as storekeeper to the aircraft carrier USS Gambier Bay in 1944. The Gambier Bay sailed to join Carrier Support Group 2, which was staging in the Marshalls to support the invasion of the Marianas.

29 August 2020

LEIGHTON-PORTER, Arthur (#151)

182 & 245 Sqns, secret husband to [No. 150] Chrystabel ‘Jane’ Leighton-Porter. Repesenting RAF Rocket-firing Typhoons, so important in NW Europe’s Liberation against enemy armour.

29 August 2020

JOYCE, Austin P (#190)

Welsh Guards Regimental Quartermaster, Sergeant Major Korean War, 16yr old Irish Yorkshireman: Troopship seaman & June, 1944 began fighting at Caen.