World War II Honoree

Leo J. Cordier

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Putnam, Rhode Island

Honored By

A Grateful American

HE WAS AN INFANTRYMAN BEFORE TRANSFERRING TO THE ARMY AIR CORPS IN 1941. AFTER ATTENDING FLIGHT SCHOOLS, HE WAS DEPLOYED OVERSEAS, WHERE HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 78TH SQUADRON, 435TH TROOP CARRIER GROUP. HE WAS SELECTED FOR DETACHED SERVICE WITH THE ROYAL AIR FORCE AND GRADUATED FROM THE RAF SCHOOL OF FLYING CONTROL AT WATCHFIELD, ENGLAND. HIS ASSIGNMENT WAS TO COMMAND A GLIDER COMBAT FLYING CONTROL TEAM THAT WOULD SET UP CONTROL AND OPERATIONS IN COMBAT ZONES. HE WAS ALSO A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. HE FLEW FIVE COMBAT MISSIONS IN NORMANDY AND SOUTHERN FRANCE, HOLLAND, AND WESEL AND HILDESHEIM, GERMANY. HE OPERATED UNARMED GLIDERS IN THE FACE OF HEAVY ENEMY OPPOSITION WITH NO POSSIBILITY OF EMPLOYING EVASIVE ACTION. HE LANDED BEHIND ENEMY LINES IN LARGE, FLIMSY, FABRIC-COVERED CG-4A 15-MAN GLIDERS, LOADED WITH AIRBORNE INFANTRYMEN, HIGHLY-EXPLOSIVE AMMUNITION OR GASOLINE, JEEPS, TRAILERS, ARTILLERY PIECES OR MEDICAL PERSONNEL AND SUPPLIES. HIS LANDING ZONES WERE OFTEN FLOODED, MINED OR PLANTED WITH 80-FOOT ANTI-GLIDER POLES. UPON LANDING HIS AIRCRAFT, HE BECAME AN INFANTRY COMMANDO, FIGHTING ALONGSIDE PARATROOPERS BEFORE MAKING HIS WAY BACK TO FRIENDLY TERRITORY FOR ASSIGNMENT TO ANOTHER MISSION. IN HIS LATTER MISSION AT HILDESHEIM, HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING OVER THE AIRSTRIP, WHERE HE ESTABLISHED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL FOR AIRCRAFT SUPPLYING GENERAL PATTON'S THRUST INTO GERMANY AND FOR THE EVACUATION OF ALLIED PRISONERS OF WAR. WHILE AT HILDESHEIM, THREE GERMAN FOCKE-WULF 190S SURRENDERED TO HIM AND HIS TEAM. A MESSERSCHMITT TRAINING AIRCRAFT WAS ALSO CAPTURED WHICH HE USED TO FLY AROUND THE AREA. AS A MILITARY OFFICER, HE SERVED HIS COUNTRY WITH DISTINCTION. HE WAS ONE OF THE MOST DECORATED GLIDER PILOTS WWII.