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| B-24 pilot Leroy Madson served in the 478th Bombardment Group https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/63032100/leroy-g-madson |
He was born on October 20, 1918 in Ogden, Utah. His parents Hans and Alice were also both born in Utah. His father worked as a sales superintendent. Leroy had two younger brothers. By 1940 his parents had divorced and his mother was a schoolteacher. Leroy had completed two years of college and was working as an electrical engineer.
He enlisted in the Army Air Corp on March 15, 1941.
LeRoy was serving as the pilot of a B-24 in the 847th Bomber Squadron, 478 Bomber Group. On June 20, 1944, only two weeks after the D-Day landing at Normandy, the B-24 he was piloting was hit by flak over their target in France and exploded over the English Channel. Another pilot counted seven parachutes bailing out before the explosion. Ten airmen were killed in the plane and two who parachuted became prisoners of war.
His mother received a letter from a sergeant who was a member of the crew of the B-24. He wrote that they were near the French Coast on their way back to England when the plane was struck and burst into flames. Captain Madson ordered his men to bail out and the sergeant was one of the two men who landed safely.
Captain Madson was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Not two months later, the family received news that his younger brother, Gordon, had been taken prisoner. Lt. Gordon Madson was in the 552nd Bomber Squadron, 386th Bomber Group, a pilot of a B-24 when he was shot down by flak on August 16, 1944. He was taken prisoner and sent to Stalag Luft 1 in Barth-Vogelsang, where he stayed for 9 months. He was liberated when the Russian Army entered the southern part of Germany and arrived home in late June of 1945.
Interestingly, of the two that survived the plane crash that took Captain Madson, ball turret gunner, Sgt Arthur Martinsen survived the war and died in 1974. The tail gunner, Sgt Bernard Breen, lived to 1990.
Capt Madson’s grave is at Ogden City Cemetery, Ogden, UT
Thank you Leroy G. Madson for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Leroy.
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This profile was researched and written by Chris Prough - "Father of eight children, just celebrated his 30th anniversary with his lovely wife Susanne. Lives in Mount Pleasant, IA, where there are no mountains and the jury is still out on the whole "pleasant" thing. Lover of history since a child. I believe in this endeavor as my own great uncle, Harold Ozmun, will be featured December 15. Many thanks to Don for affording me the privilege to help him out."
Not two months later, the family received news that his younger brother, Gordon, had been taken prisoner. Lt. Gordon Madson was in the 552nd Bomber Squadron, 386th Bomber Group, a pilot of a B-24 when he was shot down by flak on August 16, 1944. He was taken prisoner and sent to Stalag Luft 1 in Barth-Vogelsang, where he stayed for 9 months. He was liberated when the Russian Army entered the southern part of Germany and arrived home in late June of 1945.
Interestingly, of the two that survived the plane crash that took Captain Madson, ball turret gunner, Sgt Arthur Martinsen survived the war and died in 1974. The tail gunner, Sgt Bernard Breen, lived to 1990.
Capt Madson’s grave is at Ogden City Cemetery, Ogden, UT
Thank you Leroy G. Madson for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Leroy.
______
This profile was researched and written by Chris Prough - "Father of eight children, just celebrated his 30th anniversary with his lovely wife Susanne. Lives in Mount Pleasant, IA, where there are no mountains and the jury is still out on the whole "pleasant" thing. Lover of history since a child. I believe in this endeavor as my own great uncle, Harold Ozmun, will be featured December 15. Many thanks to Don for affording me the privilege to help him out."
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