From Weber County's Greatest Generation Facebook page:
LeRoy Gray Madson enlisted in the Army Air Corp on March 15, 1941, prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was a member of the 12th graduating class of the Liberator B-24 Bomber Pilots at the Fort Worth, Texas, air field. A newspaper article reported that pilots "representing 25 states received certificates certifying mastery of the 28-ton axis-busting giants."
Captain Madson's parents were Hans LeRoy and Alice (Gray) Madson, who lived at 2623 Brinker Avenue in Ogden, Utah. Hans and Alice later divorced and Alice, a teacher, taught at Lorin Farr School. Along with Captain LeRoy Madson, another son, Gordon Keith Madson, was also serving in the Air Corp as a Lieutenant.
LeRoy was serving as the pilot of a B-24 in the 847th Bomber Squadron, 489th Bomb 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.
LeRoy was officially reported as Missing in Action but Alice received a letter from H.H. Arnold, commanding general, informing her of the certain death of her son. "Information has reached me that Captain Madson demonstrated his enthusiasm for aviation throughout his career as a pilot, following his graduation at Mather Field. He was known for the thoroughness and ability with which he accomplished assignments and with his excellent character and cooperative spirit he earned the respect of officer and men alike."
She also 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. Although he was officially "missing," it seems that the family knew early on that he had been killed.
That wasn't the end of the heartache for Alice Madson. Word came only two months later that Lt. Gordon Keith Madson was missing in action, somewhere over France. The pilot of a B-26, he had just been promoted to Flight Leader. The family was later notified that he was a prisoner of war in Germany.
On January 31, 1945, Mrs. Madson was presented Captain LeRoy Madson's Air Medal in a ceremony at Hill Field. The paper reported that Lt. Gordon Madson was still a prisoner of war in Germany and that her youngest son, Alan, would be leaving for the Coast Guard the next week.
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. An Ogden Standard-Examiner article on June 29, 1945, reported that Gordon arrived home on June 27, 1945. He was liberated when the Russian Army entered the southern part of Germany. In that article, Captain Madson is still reported as MIA and his official status was "Finding of Death" (FOD). Alan returned home safely to his family after the war ended.
Ogden Standard-Examiner:
General Forwards Report of Death: Capt. L. G. Madson....Mrs. Alice G. Mdson, 2623 Brinker Avenue, has received a letter from H. H. Arnold, commanding general of the Army Air Force, informing her of the certain death of her son, Capt. LeRoy Gray Madson, who was reported missing in action June 20, 1944, in the European area. The letter reads in part: "Information has reached me that Capt. Madson demonstrated his enthusiasm for aviation throughout his career as a pilot, following his graduation at Mather Field. He was known for the thoroughness and ability with which he accomplished assignments and with his excellent character and cooperative spirit he earned the respect of officers and men alike."
Letter From Friend: Mrs. Madson also received a letter from a staff sergeant who was a member of the crew of the B-24 Liberator, saying they were near the French coast on their way home when the plane was struck and burst into flames. Capt. Madson ordered his men to bail out and the sergeant was one of two men who landed safely.
Two brothers, Lieut. Gordon K. Madson, with the Air Corps, and Alan L. Madson, with the Coast Guard, stationed at San Francisco are home on furlough.
Memorial Event: Memorial services for Capt. Madson will be held Sunday, August 5, in the Congregational church, 2464 Adams, at two p.m.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Leroy served as a Captain & Pilot on B-24 (#42-94834), 847th Bomber Squadron, 489th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Weber County, Utah prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on March 15, 1941, prior to the war, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Civil Engineer and also as Single, without dependents.
Leroy was "Killed In Action" when his B-24 was hit by flak over their target in France and exploded over the English Channel during the war. He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # O-429966
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seven parachutes were counted by another pilot leaving this flight before it's explosion.
Airmen who perished on B-24 (#42-94834):
Earnhardt, Fred G. Sgt, Right Waist Gunner, North Carolina
Fabiani, Albert J., Sgt, Left Waist Gunner, New York
Friedenthal, Isidore L., 2nd Lt, Navigator, New York
Hanson, Stanley C., 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, Maryland
Klein, John N., 2nd Lt, Observer, Kansas
Madson, Leroy G., Capt, Pilot, Utah
McCullough, Neal D., Sgt, Top Turret Gunner, Texas
Pickett, Paul J., 2nd Lt, Bombardier, New Jersey
Taber, Elwyn L., Jr., Capt, Observer, Massachusetts
Wendte, Elmer O., T/Sgt, Radio Operator, Nebraska
Airmen who became POW's from B-24 (#42-94834):
Breen, Bernard, Sgt, Tail Gunner, POW
Martinsen, Arthur, Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, POW
(Bio & Crew Report by: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LeRoy Gray Madson enlisted in the Army Air Corp on March 15, 1941, prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was a member of the 12th graduating class of the Liberator B-24 Bomber Pilots at the Fort Worth, Texas, air field. A newspaper article reported that pilots "representing 25 states received certificates certifying mastery of the 28-ton axis-busting giants."
Captain Madson's parents were Hans LeRoy and Alice (Gray) Madson, who lived at 2623 Brinker Avenue in Ogden, Utah. Hans and Alice later divorced and Alice, a teacher, taught at Lorin Farr School. Along with Captain LeRoy Madson, another son, Gordon Keith Madson, was also serving in the Air Corp as a Lieutenant.
LeRoy was serving as the pilot of a B-24 in the 847th Bomber Squadron, 489th Bomb 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.
LeRoy was officially reported as Missing in Action but Alice received a letter from H.H. Arnold, commanding general, informing her of the certain death of her son. "Information has reached me that Captain Madson demonstrated his enthusiasm for aviation throughout his career as a pilot, following his graduation at Mather Field. He was known for the thoroughness and ability with which he accomplished assignments and with his excellent character and cooperative spirit he earned the respect of officer and men alike."
She also 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. Although he was officially "missing," it seems that the family knew early on that he had been killed.
That wasn't the end of the heartache for Alice Madson. Word came only two months later that Lt. Gordon Keith Madson was missing in action, somewhere over France. The pilot of a B-26, he had just been promoted to Flight Leader. The family was later notified that he was a prisoner of war in Germany.
On January 31, 1945, Mrs. Madson was presented Captain LeRoy Madson's Air Medal in a ceremony at Hill Field. The paper reported that Lt. Gordon Madson was still a prisoner of war in Germany and that her youngest son, Alan, would be leaving for the Coast Guard the next week.
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. An Ogden Standard-Examiner article on June 29, 1945, reported that Gordon arrived home on June 27, 1945. He was liberated when the Russian Army entered the southern part of Germany. In that article, Captain Madson is still reported as MIA and his official status was "Finding of Death" (FOD). Alan returned home safely to his family after the war ended.
Ogden Standard-Examiner:
General Forwards Report of Death: Capt. L. G. Madson....Mrs. Alice G. Mdson, 2623 Brinker Avenue, has received a letter from H. H. Arnold, commanding general of the Army Air Force, informing her of the certain death of her son, Capt. LeRoy Gray Madson, who was reported missing in action June 20, 1944, in the European area. The letter reads in part: "Information has reached me that Capt. Madson demonstrated his enthusiasm for aviation throughout his career as a pilot, following his graduation at Mather Field. He was known for the thoroughness and ability with which he accomplished assignments and with his excellent character and cooperative spirit he earned the respect of officers and men alike."
Letter From Friend: Mrs. Madson also received a letter from a staff sergeant who was a member of the crew of the B-24 Liberator, saying they were near the French coast on their way home when the plane was struck and burst into flames. Capt. Madson ordered his men to bail out and the sergeant was one of two men who landed safely.
Two brothers, Lieut. Gordon K. Madson, with the Air Corps, and Alan L. Madson, with the Coast Guard, stationed at San Francisco are home on furlough.
Memorial Event: Memorial services for Capt. Madson will be held Sunday, August 5, in the Congregational church, 2464 Adams, at two p.m.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Leroy served as a Captain & Pilot on B-24 (#42-94834), 847th Bomber Squadron, 489th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Weber County, Utah prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on March 15, 1941, prior to the war, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Civil Engineer and also as Single, without dependents.
Leroy was "Killed In Action" when his B-24 was hit by flak over their target in France and exploded over the English Channel during the war. He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # O-429966
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seven parachutes were counted by another pilot leaving this flight before it's explosion.
Airmen who perished on B-24 (#42-94834):
Earnhardt, Fred G. Sgt, Right Waist Gunner, North Carolina
Fabiani, Albert J., Sgt, Left Waist Gunner, New York
Friedenthal, Isidore L., 2nd Lt, Navigator, New York
Hanson, Stanley C., 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, Maryland
Klein, John N., 2nd Lt, Observer, Kansas
Madson, Leroy G., Capt, Pilot, Utah
McCullough, Neal D., Sgt, Top Turret Gunner, Texas
Pickett, Paul J., 2nd Lt, Bombardier, New Jersey
Taber, Elwyn L., Jr., Capt, Observer, Massachusetts
Wendte, Elmer O., T/Sgt, Radio Operator, Nebraska
Airmen who became POW's from B-24 (#42-94834):
Breen, Bernard, Sgt, Tail Gunner, POW
Martinsen, Arthur, Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, POW
(Bio & Crew Report by: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From Weber County's Greatest Generation Facebook page:
LeRoy Gray Madson enlisted in the Army Air Corp on March 15, 1941, prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was a member of the 12th graduating class of the Liberator B-24 Bomber Pilots at the Fort Worth, Texas, air field. A newspaper article reported that pilots "representing 25 states received certificates certifying mastery of the 28-ton axis-busting giants."
Captain Madson's parents were Hans LeRoy and Alice (Gray) Madson, who lived at 2623 Brinker Avenue in Ogden, Utah. Hans and Alice later divorced and Alice, a teacher, taught at Lorin Farr School. Along with Captain LeRoy Madson, another son, Gordon Keith Madson, was also serving in the Air Corp as a Lieutenant.
LeRoy was serving as the pilot of a B-24 in the 847th Bomber Squadron, 489th Bomb 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.
LeRoy was officially reported as Missing in Action but Alice received a letter from H.H. Arnold, commanding general, informing her of the certain death of her son. "Information has reached me that Captain Madson demonstrated his enthusiasm for aviation throughout his career as a pilot, following his graduation at Mather Field. He was known for the thoroughness and ability with which he accomplished assignments and with his excellent character and cooperative spirit he earned the respect of officer and men alike."
She also 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. Although he was officially "missing," it seems that the family knew early on that he had been killed.
That wasn't the end of the heartache for Alice Madson. Word came only two months later that Lt. Gordon Keith Madson was missing in action, somewhere over France. The pilot of a B-26, he had just been promoted to Flight Leader. The family was later notified that he was a prisoner of war in Germany.
On January 31, 1945, Mrs. Madson was presented Captain LeRoy Madson's Air Medal in a ceremony at Hill Field. The paper reported that Lt. Gordon Madson was still a prisoner of war in Germany and that her youngest son, Alan, would be leaving for the Coast Guard the next week.
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. An Ogden Standard-Examiner article on June 29, 1945, reported that Gordon arrived home on June 27, 1945. He was liberated when the Russian Army entered the southern part of Germany. In that article, Captain Madson is still reported as MIA and his official status was "Finding of Death" (FOD). Alan returned home safely to his family after the war ended.
Ogden Standard-Examiner:
General Forwards Report of Death: Capt. L. G. Madson....Mrs. Alice G. Mdson, 2623 Brinker Avenue, has received a letter from H. H. Arnold, commanding general of the Army Air Force, informing her of the certain death of her son, Capt. LeRoy Gray Madson, who was reported missing in action June 20, 1944, in the European area. The letter reads in part: "Information has reached me that Capt. Madson demonstrated his enthusiasm for aviation throughout his career as a pilot, following his graduation at Mather Field. He was known for the thoroughness and ability with which he accomplished assignments and with his excellent character and cooperative spirit he earned the respect of officers and men alike."
Letter From Friend: Mrs. Madson also received a letter from a staff sergeant who was a member of the crew of the B-24 Liberator, saying they were near the French coast on their way home when the plane was struck and burst into flames. Capt. Madson ordered his men to bail out and the sergeant was one of two men who landed safely.
Two brothers, Lieut. Gordon K. Madson, with the Air Corps, and Alan L. Madson, with the Coast Guard, stationed at San Francisco are home on furlough.
Memorial Event: Memorial services for Capt. Madson will be held Sunday, August 5, in the Congregational church, 2464 Adams, at two p.m.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Leroy served as a Captain & Pilot on B-24 (#42-94834), 847th Bomber Squadron, 489th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Weber County, Utah prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on March 15, 1941, prior to the war, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Civil Engineer and also as Single, without dependents.
Leroy was "Killed In Action" when his B-24 was hit by flak over their target in France and exploded over the English Channel during the war. He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # O-429966
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seven parachutes were counted by another pilot leaving this flight before it's explosion.
Airmen who perished on B-24 (#42-94834):
Earnhardt, Fred G. Sgt, Right Waist Gunner, North Carolina
Fabiani, Albert J., Sgt, Left Waist Gunner, New York
Friedenthal, Isidore L., 2nd Lt, Navigator, New York
Hanson, Stanley C., 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, Maryland
Klein, John N., 2nd Lt, Observer, Kansas
Madson, Leroy G., Capt, Pilot, Utah
McCullough, Neal D., Sgt, Top Turret Gunner, Texas
Pickett, Paul J., 2nd Lt, Bombardier, New Jersey
Taber, Elwyn L., Jr., Capt, Observer, Massachusetts
Wendte, Elmer O., T/Sgt, Radio Operator, Nebraska
Airmen who became POW's from B-24 (#42-94834):
Breen, Bernard, Sgt, Tail Gunner, POW
Martinsen, Arthur, Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, POW
(Bio & Crew Report by: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LeRoy Gray Madson enlisted in the Army Air Corp on March 15, 1941, prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was a member of the 12th graduating class of the Liberator B-24 Bomber Pilots at the Fort Worth, Texas, air field. A newspaper article reported that pilots "representing 25 states received certificates certifying mastery of the 28-ton axis-busting giants."
Captain Madson's parents were Hans LeRoy and Alice (Gray) Madson, who lived at 2623 Brinker Avenue in Ogden, Utah. Hans and Alice later divorced and Alice, a teacher, taught at Lorin Farr School. Along with Captain LeRoy Madson, another son, Gordon Keith Madson, was also serving in the Air Corp as a Lieutenant.
LeRoy was serving as the pilot of a B-24 in the 847th Bomber Squadron, 489th Bomb 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.
LeRoy was officially reported as Missing in Action but Alice received a letter from H.H. Arnold, commanding general, informing her of the certain death of her son. "Information has reached me that Captain Madson demonstrated his enthusiasm for aviation throughout his career as a pilot, following his graduation at Mather Field. He was known for the thoroughness and ability with which he accomplished assignments and with his excellent character and cooperative spirit he earned the respect of officer and men alike."
She also 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. Although he was officially "missing," it seems that the family knew early on that he had been killed.
That wasn't the end of the heartache for Alice Madson. Word came only two months later that Lt. Gordon Keith Madson was missing in action, somewhere over France. The pilot of a B-26, he had just been promoted to Flight Leader. The family was later notified that he was a prisoner of war in Germany.
On January 31, 1945, Mrs. Madson was presented Captain LeRoy Madson's Air Medal in a ceremony at Hill Field. The paper reported that Lt. Gordon Madson was still a prisoner of war in Germany and that her youngest son, Alan, would be leaving for the Coast Guard the next week.
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. An Ogden Standard-Examiner article on June 29, 1945, reported that Gordon arrived home on June 27, 1945. He was liberated when the Russian Army entered the southern part of Germany. In that article, Captain Madson is still reported as MIA and his official status was "Finding of Death" (FOD). Alan returned home safely to his family after the war ended.
Ogden Standard-Examiner:
General Forwards Report of Death: Capt. L. G. Madson....Mrs. Alice G. Mdson, 2623 Brinker Avenue, has received a letter from H. H. Arnold, commanding general of the Army Air Force, informing her of the certain death of her son, Capt. LeRoy Gray Madson, who was reported missing in action June 20, 1944, in the European area. The letter reads in part: "Information has reached me that Capt. Madson demonstrated his enthusiasm for aviation throughout his career as a pilot, following his graduation at Mather Field. He was known for the thoroughness and ability with which he accomplished assignments and with his excellent character and cooperative spirit he earned the respect of officers and men alike."
Letter From Friend: Mrs. Madson also received a letter from a staff sergeant who was a member of the crew of the B-24 Liberator, saying they were near the French coast on their way home when the plane was struck and burst into flames. Capt. Madson ordered his men to bail out and the sergeant was one of two men who landed safely.
Two brothers, Lieut. Gordon K. Madson, with the Air Corps, and Alan L. Madson, with the Coast Guard, stationed at San Francisco are home on furlough.
Memorial Event: Memorial services for Capt. Madson will be held Sunday, August 5, in the Congregational church, 2464 Adams, at two p.m.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Leroy served as a Captain & Pilot on B-24 (#42-94834), 847th Bomber Squadron, 489th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Weber County, Utah prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on March 15, 1941, prior to the war, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Civil Engineer and also as Single, without dependents.
Leroy was "Killed In Action" when his B-24 was hit by flak over their target in France and exploded over the English Channel during the war. He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # O-429966
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seven parachutes were counted by another pilot leaving this flight before it's explosion.
Airmen who perished on B-24 (#42-94834):
Earnhardt, Fred G. Sgt, Right Waist Gunner, North Carolina
Fabiani, Albert J., Sgt, Left Waist Gunner, New York
Friedenthal, Isidore L., 2nd Lt, Navigator, New York
Hanson, Stanley C., 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, Maryland
Klein, John N., 2nd Lt, Observer, Kansas
Madson, Leroy G., Capt, Pilot, Utah
McCullough, Neal D., Sgt, Top Turret Gunner, Texas
Pickett, Paul J., 2nd Lt, Bombardier, New Jersey
Taber, Elwyn L., Jr., Capt, Observer, Massachusetts
Wendte, Elmer O., T/Sgt, Radio Operator, Nebraska
Airmen who became POW's from B-24 (#42-94834):
Breen, Bernard, Sgt, Tail Gunner, POW
Martinsen, Arthur, Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, POW
(Bio & Crew Report by: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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