World War II Honoree

Calvin T. 'Ted' Beale

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

McAlester, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

DRAFTED AT AGE 18 INTO MILITARY SERVICE SHORTLY AFTER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL. SERVED OVERSEAS AS A B-24 'LIBERATOR' BOMBER NOSE GUNNER IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 716TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON, 449TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP, 15TH AIR FORCE. STATIONED AT GROTTOGLIE, ITALY. HIS BOMBER UNIT, NICKNAMED THE 'FLYING HORSEMEN' SERVED PRIMARILY AS A STRATEGIC BOMBING ORGANIZATION ATTACKING MARSHALLING YARDS, COMMUNICATIONS CENTERS, BRIDGES, DOCKS, OIL REFINERIES AND STORAGE FACILITIES, INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES, AND AIRCRAFT FACTORIES. THEIR AREA OF OPERATIONS INCLUDED ITALY, FRANCE, GERMANY, CZECHOSLOVAKIA, AUSTRIA, HUNGARY AND THE BALKANS. HE MAINTAINED AND REPAIRED ARMAMENT, INCLUDING GUNS, GUNSIGHTS, TURRETS, AND BOMB RACKS. MANNED THE NOSE TURRET MACHINE GUN POSITION IN FLIGHT, INFORMED THE CREW OF APPROACHING ENEMY PLANES, AND ENGAGED ATTACKING AIRCRAFT. ALSO OPERATED THE TOGGLE SWITCH THAT RELEASED THE PAYLOAD OF BOMBS OVER THE TARGET AREA. PARTICIPATED IN THE SOUTHERN FRANCE, NORTH APENNINES, AND PO VALLEY CAMPAIGNS. FLEW 35 COMBAT SORTIES AND LOGGED ABOUT 250 COMBAT FLYING HOURS. FLEW HIS FIRST MISSION ON SEPTEMBER 18, 1944 AND HIS FINAL ONE ON APRIL 18, 1945. DURING HIS FIRST MISSIONS, THE GERMAN LUFTWAFFE POSED A SIGNIFICANT THREAT. LATER, THE ALLIES ACHIEVED AIR SUPERIORITY AND BOMBER FORMATIONS HAD FIGHTER ESCORTS THAT REDUCED THE THREAT. IN THE LATTER STAGES OF THE WAR HE SIGHTED A GERMAN MESSERSCHMITT ME-262, THE WORLD'S FIRST OPERATIONAL JET FIGHTER. RECALLS FLYING THROUGH SKIES SO FILLED WITH ENEMY ANTIAIRCRAFT FLAK BURSTS THAT VIRTUALLY NOTHING ELSE COULD BE SEEN. FLAK OVER MUNICH, GERMANY AND OVER VIENNA, AUSTRIA WAS THE WORST. ON A DANGEROUS MISSION OVER TRIESTE, ITALY, HIS SQUADRON TOOK HEAVY CASUALTIES AND HIS AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED HEAVY DAMAGE BUT RETURNED SAFELY TO BASE WITHOUT LOSING A MAN. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 4 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RANK OF STAFF SERGEANT AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON. LATER COMMISSIONED THROUGH THE RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS (ROTC) PROGRAM AND CONTINUED IN U.S. AIR FORCE RESERVE SERVICE AFTER THE WAR. PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF CAPTAIN, AND SERVED UNTIL AGAIN HONORABLY DISCHARGED.