World War II Honoree

Ladislao C. 'L.C.' Castro

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Austin, Texas

Honored By

John C. Burkhardt AAG MOPH Chapter 1919, Austin, TX

HE TRAINED IN BOWLING FIELD, KENTUCKY; GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI; HARLINGEN, TEXAS AND PUEBLO, COLORADO. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 506TH BOMB SQUADRON, DEPLOYED TO EUROPE IN SEPTEMBER 1943. HE WAS A WAIST GUNNER ON A B-24 LIBERATOR BOMBER. ONE OF THE MORE IMPORTANT MISSIONS FLOWN WAS TO BOMB THE HEAVY WATER PLANT IN OSLO, NORWAY PREVENTING THE GERMANS FROM GETTING ATOMIC WEAPONS. HALF OF THE BOMBERS WERE LOST TO ENEMY FIRE ON THIS MISSION. ON MARCH 18, 1944 HE WAS ON HIS 25TH AND FINAL MISSION WHEN THE PLANE WAS HIT AND HAD TO BE ABANDONED. HE WAS WOUNDED AS HE PARACHUTED FROM THE PLANE. HE WAS THE ONLY MAN AMONG A CREW OF 10 THAT SUCCESSFULLY EVADED CAPTURE BY THE GERMANS. HE OPENED HIS PARACHUTE LATER THAN THE REST OF THE CREW AND CAME DOWN A LOT FASTER THAN THE OTHERS, GIVING HIM MORE TIME TO HIDE. A FRENCH FARM WOMAN CAME OUT TO GET HIM AND HID HIM UNTIL THEY COULD TAKE HIM TO THE FRENCH RESISTANCE TROOPS IN AMIENS, FRANCE. A FRENCH DOCTOR CAME AND TREATED HIM FOR HIS BROKEN LEG. HE REMAINED IN CONCEALMENT WITH 16 OTHER ALLIED AVIATORS FROM MAY TO SEPTEMBER WHEN AMIENS WAS LIBERATED BY THE CANADIAN 2ND ARMORED DIVISION. HE WAS MEDICALLY EVACUATED FROM FRANCE AND TAKEN TO LONDON, ENGLAND. AFTER EXACTLY ONE YEAR OF BEING OVERSEAS HE WAS RETURNED TO DUTY IN THE U.S. WHERE HE FINISHED OUT HIS MILITARY COMMITMENT.