Orville first served with the Ninth Air Force in Egypt and Libya as a High Speed Radio Man, handling classified international code messages in early 1943. Subsequently he moved to England with General Brereton’s Headquarters. On D-Day June 6, 1944 he provided radio facilities for General Quesada who directed the Ninth from the Normandy coast. On December 28, 1944 his company received a direct V-1 hit from which he wears the Purple Heart. His final radio station in Europe was next to Buchenwald Concentration Camp at Weimar, Germany.
Units were: 414th Signal Company (Libya and Egypt), 9th Tactical Air Command Signal Section, 926th Signal Btn, Co A, and 8th Tactical Command Squadron. For this service he attained the rank of Tech Sergeant and was awarded ten campaign stars. Orville’s 30 years post-war career was in Education, credentials in K-8, Special Education and Administration. Further experience includes several educational organizations , committees and advisor to the Town Council.
He and Mary have participated in many 9AFA projects including the 1994 QE2 D-Day Commemoration, 1995 Arlington Convention, 11 November 1995 Nations Parade in New York for Veterdns Day and 9AFA 1996 Las Vegas Convention. Orville’s No. 1 priority – Enthusiastic support of 9AFA goals to collect, preserve and publicize the history of the Ninth Air Force. It took a “heap of folks” on the ground to keep one air crew in the air. His FAX and Imac Computer are ready to write articles, inquiries and do some historical research on behalf of the Association. He has written several exciting articles of his WW II experiences.
This text is courtesy of “The Ninth Flyer”, a Ninth Air Force Association publication. April 1997.