World War II Honoree

Elmer John Gedeon

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Cleveland, Ohio

Honored By

Joe Arsena

Relationship

Yankee Baseball Fan

SERVED WITH THE 586TH BOMB SQUADRON, 394TH BOMB GROUP RECEIVED HIS SUMMONS FOR MILITARY SERVICE IN JANUARY,1941 BUT JOINED THE ARMY IN MARCH TAKING INDUCTION AT FORT THOMAS, KENTUCKY. REPORTED TO THE CAVALRY REPLACEMENT CENTER AT FORT RILEY ON MARCH 18. ASSIGNED TO TROOP B OF THE FIRST SQUADRON AND BECAME AN ACTING CORPORAL THE FIRST DAY OF THE 13-WEEK TRAINING PROGRAM. AROUND MEMORIAL DAY, 1941, TRANSFERRED TO THE AIR FORCE. HE EARNED HIS PILOT'S WINGS AND A COMMISSION AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT AT WILLIAMS FIELD NEAR PHOENIX IN MAY,1942 AND TRAINED WITH THE 21ST BOMB GROUP AT MACDILL FIELD IN TAMPA. HE WAS PROMOTED TO FIRST LIEUTENANT AND AWARDED THE SOLDIERS' MEDAL FOR HIS HEROICS IN JULY, 1943. HE BEGAN TRAINING ON MARTIN B-26 MARAUDERS AT ARDMORE AAF BASE IN OKLAHOMA. BY THE FOLLOWING MONTH HE WAS FLYING COMBAT SIMULATIONS AND HIGH ALTITUDE BOMBING PRACTICE IN PREPARATION FOR OVERSEAS DUTY WITH THE 394TH BOMB GROUP. IN FEBRUARY,1944 HE ARRIVED IN ENGLAND WITH THE 586TH BOMB SQUADRON OF THE 394TH BOMB GROUP. ON APRIL 20, 1944, HE PILOTED ONE OF 30 B-26 MARAUDERS THAT LEFT BOREHAM TO BOMB GERMAN CONSTRUCTION WORKS AT BOIS D’ESQUERDES. HIS BOMBER WAS SEVERELY HIT BY FLAK OVER FRANCE ON THE WAY TO THE TARGET. HE WAS REPORTED MISSING IN ACTION UNTIL MAY,1945. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART.