World War II Honoree

Max Frederick Alters

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Bellefonte, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Susan Alters

Relationship

Daughter

SERVED WITH THE U.S. ARMY AIR CORPS, EUROPEAN THEATER FROM 1943 TO 1946, WHERE HE ACHIEVED THE RANK OF CAPTAIN. HE ALSO LATER SERVED DURING THE KOREAN WAR, FAR EAST COMMAND FROM 1951 TO 1952. AT THE TIME OF HIS SEPARATION FROM THE SERVICE, HE HELD THE RANK OF MAJOR. HE WAS HEAD OF THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT OF HIS SQUADRON OF THE 439TH TROOP CARRIER GROUP, A U.S. AIR COMPONENT OF THE LIEUTENANT GENERAL LEWIS H. BERETON'S FIRST ALLIED AIRBORNE ARMY. AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION IN CONNECTION WITH MILITARY OPERATIONS IN WHICH HIS ORGANIZATION WAS ENGAGED FROM JUNE 6 TO SEPTEMBER 30, 1944; THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION FOR MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT IN THE D-DAY INVASION OF THE CHERBOURG PENINSULA AND 5 CAMPAIGN STARS ON HIS EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN RIBBON FOR THE THREE MAJOR INVASIONS OF EUROPE: NORMANDY, SOUTHERN FRANCE AND HOLLAND AND FOR RE-SUPPLY AND EVACUATION MISSIONS TO THE FRONT LINES IN WHICH THE SQUADRON WAS ACTIVE. HE RETURNED TO CIVILIAN LIFE IN 1952 AS A TOOL AND MACHINE DESIGNER FOR TITAN ENGINEERING, PROMOTED TO MECHANICAL DESIGN ENGINEER.