Last surviving veterans of WW-II
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My father has been gone since 1999
35 Missions in a B-24
Mission # Date Target
1 Nov. 2, 1944 Castrop-Rauxel - - (Purple hearts - 2)
2 Nov. 4, 1944 Gelsen-Kirchen
3 Nov. 6, 1944 Minden
4 Nov. 8, 1944 Rheine
5 Nov. 9, 1944 Metz - whiskey
6 Nov. 21, 1944 Hamburg - air medal
7 Nov. 25, 1944 Bingen
8 Nov. 29, 1944 Altenbeken
9 Dec. 4, 1944 Bebra
10 Dec. 11, 1944 Hanau - whiskey
11 Dec. 23, 1944 Junkerauth
12 Dec. 24, 1944 Bitburg - oak leaf cluster
13 Dec. 28, 1944 Neunkirchen
14 Dec. 30, 1944 Euskirchen
15 Jan. 3, 1945 Homburg - whiskey
16 Jan. 7, 1945 Zweibrucken
17 Jan. 14, 1945 Ehmen
18 Jan. 15, 1945 Reutlingen - oak leaf cluster
19 Jan. 28, 1945 Dortmund
20 Jan. 2,9, 1945 Hamm - whiskey - flak leave
21 Feb. 14, 1945 Magdeburg
22 Feb. 1 6, 1945 Rheine
23 Feb 21, 1945 Nuremburg - forced landing
24 Feb. 23, 1945 Salzuflen - oak leaf cluster, diverted to a Limey base
25 Feb. 25, 1945 Giebelstadt
26 Feb. 26, 1945 Berlin
27 Feb. 28, 1-945 Arnsberg - Belgium
28 Mar. 3, 1945 Magdeburg - fighters
29 Mar. 10, 1945 Paderborn
30 Mar. 12, 1945 Wetzlar - oak leaf cluster
31 Mar. 15, 1945 Gardelegen
32 Mar. 19, 1945 Neuberg
33 Mar, 21, 1945 Achmer
34 Mar. 22, 1945 Giebelstadt
35 Mar. 24, 1945 WeselIt's hard to imagine the increasing stress of bombing missions over such a time period.
Your father's service brought to mind another American, Billy Fiske, who pretended to be Canadian to join the RAF and so served in the Battle of Britain.
They could be scrambled into action half a dozen times a day. He flew 42 sorties in 27 days. One of the very best fliers of the honoured few who saved us, his memorial is in St Paul's cathedral.
https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/7-pilots-who-flew-in-the-battle-of-britain
