Elwood Harry Fredrickson papers

Elwood Harry Fredrickson was born October 8, 1917, in Zion, Illinois, to Harry and Harriet Fredrickson. He attended Zion Preparatory College and received a diploma in 1935. He worked as a weaver at Liberty Lace and Knitting Works in New York City, New York. Fredrickson enlisted on February 21, 1942, and he was inducted at Camp Upton, New York. After completing basic training, he was assigned to the 5th Armored Division and served as a jeep driver. The 5th Armored Division trained in desert operations in the Mojave Desert.

On April 10, 1943, Fredrickson transferred to the Army Air Forces Bombardier School in Big Spring, Texas. He trained at the Bombardier School and at the Army Air Forces Gunnery School in Laredo, Texas. Fredrickson took theoretical courses on bombing, studied plane instruments, and received some medical training. He also trained in the air with practice bombs. He was honorably discharged from military service on December 3, 1943, at the Bombardier School. On December 4, 1943, Fredrickson was appointed as a flight officer.

He was transferred to Westover Field in Massachusetts on December 4, 1943. On January 4, 1944, Fredrickson was assigned to the 302nd Bombardment Group, 356th Squadron. He was then stationed at Chatham Field in Georgia through March 1944. In April he moved to Langley Field, Virginia. Fredrickson was a member of the 111th Army Air Forces Base Unit at Langley Field until May 21, 1944, when he was sent overseas.

Throughout June, Fredrickson served with the 454th Bombardment Group, 737th Bombardment Squadron. On July 1 he joined the 304th Bombardment Wing, Fifteenth Air Force, which was headquartered at Cerignola Airfield in Italy. He was assigned to the 455th Bombardment Group, 743rd Bombardment Squadron. While overseas he flew missions over various cities in Austria, Germany, France, Romania, Hungary, Yugoslavia, and Italy. He amassed 288 combat hours.

Fredrickson was temporarily appointed a second lieutenant on August 19, 1944. He received his first Oak Leaf Cluster on September 20. He was then promoted to first lieutenant on October 17. On October 18 he was awarded his second Oak Leaf Cluster, and he received his third cluster on December 27. By January 1, 1945, he had completed 35 combat missions, and Fredrickson returned to the United Sates on January 25.

On January 28, Fredrickson was assigned to the 1010th Army Air Force Base Unit in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In March he was stationed at the Midland Army Airfield where he completed a refresher course in bombing. He was then stationed at the Childress Army Airfield in Texas from May 17 to September. On September 21, 1945, Fredrickson left Childress and proceeded to the Separation Center at Fort Dix, New Jersey. He was relieved from active duty on October 13. He had flown a total of 690 hours.

After the war, he received a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from Cornell University where he met his wife Dorothy Jane Marshman. Fredrickson passed away on June 3, 1998.