World War II Honoree

Russell Jay Alcott, Sr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Preble, New York

Honored By

Tex Seamon

FOLLOWING HIGH SCHOOL IN 1940, HE JOINED THE U.S. ARMY AND WAS STATIONED IN THE PANAMA CANAL AS A TELETYPE OPERATOR IN THE ARMY SIGNAL CORPS. AFTER DECEMBER 7TH HE VOLUNTEERED FOR THE ARMY AIR FORCES AND BECAME A BOMBARDIER BEING ASSIGNED TO SHIPDHAM, ENGLAND WHERE HE SERVED WITH THE 67TH BOMB SQUADRON, 44TH BOMB GROUP, KNOWN AS THE 'FLYING EIGHT-BALLS'. ON APRIL 8TH, 1944, HIS 23RD MISSION, HIS B-24 WAS SHOT DOWN BY ME109'S AND HE JOINED RANKS OF THE PRISONERS OF WAR AT STALAG LUFT 1 NEAR THE BALTIC SEA. A FEW MONTHS LATER HE AND A FEW OTHERS UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO ESCAPE, FOLLOWING THE GERMAN SURRENDER HIS CAMP WAS LIBERATED BY RUSSIAN TROOPS, AND RETURNED THE UNITED STATES IN JUNE OF 1945.