World War II Honoree

George W. Chase

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

St. Albans, New York

Honored By

Pamela Chase Brock

Relationship

Daughter

FLEW 66 COMBAT MISSIONS PILOTING THE B-26 BOMBER IN THE MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS, 3 JULY 1943 TO 31 AUGUST 1944. HE INITIALLY SERVED WITH THE 17TH BOMB GROUP, BUT SOON TRANSFERRED TO THE 319TH BOMB GROUP, 439TH SQUADRON. HE WAS AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL WITH 6 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS FOR INDIVIDUAL MERIT, AND HE SHARED IN THE TWO PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATIONS AND THE CROIX DE GUERRE AWARDED TO HIS UNIT. HIS CLOSEST SCRAPE WAS THE TIME THAT HE STRUGGLED TO LAND A BADLY SHOT-UP AIRPLANE STILL CARRYING ITS FULL PAYLOAD OF BOMBS. DAMAGE PREVENTED THE LOWERING OF LANDING GEAR, FORCING A BELLY LANDING. UPON RETURN FROM OVERSEAS, HE SERVED AS FLYING INSTRUCTOR FOR THE A-26 BOMBER IN MARIANNA, FLORIDA. HE WAS DISCHARGED IN DECEMBER, 1945, AS A FIRST LIEUTENANT.