World War II Honoree

Roland P. Bigley

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Victoria, Texas

Honored By

J. Kirk Smith

Relationship

Cousin

ENLISTED 8/17/42. COMPLETED AVIATION CADET TRAINING ON OCTOBER 22, 1943 AT ARMY AIR FORCES NAVIGATION SCHOOL, HONDO, TEXAS. FOLLOWED BY PRIMARY FLIGHT SCHOOL AT ELLINGTON FIELD, HOUSTON, TEXAS. DEPARTED JANUARY 28, 1944 FOR FOGGIA, ITALY AND ARRIVED THERE FEBRUARY 11, 1944. ASSIGNED AS A B-17 NAVIGATOR TO THE 15TH AIR FORCE, 99TH BOMB GROUP, 416TH SQUADRON. BATTLES AND CAMPAIGNS INCLUDE AIR OFFENSIVE EUROPE, AIR COMBAT BALKANS, ROME-ARNO. ON FEBRUARY 22, 1944 WHILE ON A RAID TO REGENSBURG, GERMANY HIS B-17 WAS SHOT DOWN. HE WAS CAPTURED AND HELD POW AT STALAG LUFT 1 AT BARTH, GERMANY NEAR THE BALTIC SEA. HE WAS A POW FOR 15 MONTHS BEFORE BEING LIBERATED BY THE RUSSIANS. DECORATIONS INCLUDE THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATRE RIBBON WITH 3 BRONZE STARS AND 1 OVERSEAS BAR AS WELL AS THE POW MEDAL AND RIBBON.