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| 1st Lt. Edward Purdy was a pilot in the 331st Bombardment Squadron. This painting by Wade Meyers is of a plane flown by Claud A. Watts in the same squadron. https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=56544564&ref=acom https://www.facebook.com/94thBombGroup/photos/a.103350219788604.1023.103314186458874/103350246455268/?type=3&theater |
Edward A. Purdy, Jr. never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on November 7, 1917 in Colorado. His mother Effie was born in Texas and his father Edward was born in Michigan. His father worked as a baker. Edward had two younger brothers and a younger sister. One brother died as a baby and the other also served in WW2. His father died in 1928. His mother remarried and divorced twice. By 1940 Edward was living on his own in Denver and was working as a meter reader. He had completed one year of college.
After graduating from the Denver University School of Commerce he enlisted in the Army Air Forces as an aviation cadet on January 5, 1942. He married and had one daughter.
He became a first lieutenant and B-17 pilot in the 331st Bombardment Squadron, 94th Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force. The 94th BG arrived in England by May 1943.
Lt. Purdy was part of a 13 plane contingent sent to bomb the Villacoublay Airfield in Amiens, France on July 14. Four planes were lost including Purdy's Salty's Naturals. Before reaching the target, the B-17s were attacked by enemy fighters. One of the German Me109s was damaged and crashed head-on with Salty's Naturals. Two of the gunners got out, but Lt. Purdy was killed with the rest of the crew.
His grave is at Fairmount Cemetery in Denver, Colorado. I don't know what happened to his widow or daughter.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Join the public Facebook group WW2 Fallen 100
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