In The Service Now-This Day In Norwood History-November 3, 1944

Lt. Heyn On Duty As Fighter Pilot

AX EIGHTH AIR FORCE FIGHTER STATION, England — Second Lieutenant Edward F. Heyn, 23, of Norwood, -Mass., has been assigned combat duty as an Eighth Air Force Fighter Command P-51 Mustang pilot with the Group led by Col. Roy W. Osborn, San Antonio, Tex.

He escorts England-based U. S. heavy bombers on strategic missions over Germany and Nazi-occupied Europe and strafes enemy ground targets ahead of our invading armies.

After he received his wings and commission on March 20, 1943, he was selected as an instructor and served in this capacity until April of this year, when he joined a replacement training unit.

Lt. Heyn, a graduate of Norwood High School, was an aircraft mechanic for the E. W. Wiggins Airways, Inc., before entering the Air Corps in April, 1942. He has a brother, Charles H. Heyn, in the Navy. Their home address is 163 Central Street.

Sigyr Gustafson Promoted In England

AN EIGHTH AIR FORCE BOMBER STATION, England — The promotion of Sigyr R. Gustafson, 28, nephew of Mr. and Mrs. Arvid Hremanson, 27 Folan Avenue, Norwood, from staff sergeant to master sergeant was announced recently by Colonel George L. Robinson, of Los Angeles, Calif., commanding officer of this veteran B-17 bomber base.

A graduate of Gloucester High School, N. J.. Sgt. Gustafson was a shipping clerk at Bird and Son Inc., of East Walpole, Mass., previous to entering the Army Air

Edward F. Holman Is Commissioned

Edward F. Holman, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Holman of Norwood, was among twenty-nine men from Massachusetts who were commissioned second lieutenants at Signal Corps Officer Candidate School graduation exercises at Fort, Monmouth, New Jersey, on October 25th.

Pfc. John Lanzoni Gets Purple Heart

WITH THE 29TH-DIVISION IN FRANCE—Orders from the headquarters of the famed “Blue and Grey’’ 29th Infantry Division, which has won many battle honors in the Normandy fighting, announces the award of the Purple Heart to Pfc. John Langoni, of 174 Neponset Street, Norwood, for wounds received in action.

Cpl. Frances Pascoe At English Air Depot

AN AIR FORCE REPLACEMENT DEPOT, England—Corporal Frances M. Pascoe, 22, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Pascoe, 298 Walpole Street, Norwood, is a statistical clerk in the classification and assignment section at this replacement depot, where military personnel arriving in Britain for service with the AAF are “oriented” and assigned to their permanent overseas stations.

Before she entered the WAC in January, 1943, Cpl. Pascoe was employed as a statistical clerk by’ Kentlall Mills, Walpole. She is a graduate of Norwood High School with the class of 1939, and a former president of the Girls’ Friendly Society.
The Air WAC received basic and administrative training al Datona Beach, Fla., and was assigned to Keesler Field. Miss., before coming to England this summer.

A brother, J. Henry Pascoe, is a Naval aviation cadet.

Two Norwood Men Enrolled At Purdue

Two Norwood Bluejackets were enrolled recently in an intensive course at the Electrical Naval Training School located on the Purdue University campus, Lafayette, Indiana.

The enrolees are. John P Frates, IS, 323 Prospect street, and Dino J. Botti, 32, 385 Nahatan street.

Three Local Men Inducted Into Service

Norwood men inducted into the service this week were: Richard A. Milliken, James R. DesRoches, and William J. Walker. They reported for induction with men from the Norwood Draft District.

Sgt. Coakley’s Unit Earns Commendation

AN EIGHTH AIR FORCE FIGHTER STATION, England — Sgt. Stephen Coakley, son of Mr and Mrs. John J. Coakley, 19 Linden Street, Norwood, is an aircraft mechanic in a fighter squadron on this Eighth Air Force Fighter Station which was commended by Brigadier-General Jesse Auton, Wing Commander, for the part it played in making possible the destruction of 43 enemy aircraft and the damaging of 23 others on a German-held airdrome recently
General Auton pointed out that it required the cooperation of every member of every organization on this field to prepare the way for and to support its Commanding Officer. Col. Hubert Zemke and his fighter pilots in their strafing mission over the enemy airdrome.

The mission was begun as a bomber-escort assignment but after the bombers had dropped their loads on the field, Col, Zemke and his pilots raked the area again and again until almost every’ plane in view was either damaged or destroyed.

Sgt. Coakley’s wife, Sirs. Helen Coakley, lives at 14 Austin Street, Norwood.

Sgt. DiMattee Is Promoted In England

AN EIGHTH AIR FORCE BOMBER STATION, England — The promotion of Armande B. DiMattee, 26 year old radio operator and gunner on an Eighth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortress, from the grade of staff sergeant to technical sergeant has been announced by Colonel Charles B. Dougher of Fresno, Calif., base commanding officer.

Sgt. DiMattee is the son of Mr Anthony DiMattee of 42 Metchett street. Norfolk, Mass. He was a waiter before enlisting in the Army Air Forces in January, 1942.

James Costello Is Promoted In Florida

CAMP BLANDING, FLA.—Pfe. James Costello, who is a member of the Infantry Replacement Training Center, has been promoted to the rank of Corporal (Technician Fifth Grade). He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Costello, who live at Park Spiddeal, County Galway, Ireland.

Corporal Costello entered service in. 1943. Before entering service he was employed by Winslow, Bro. and Smith, Tanneries, in Norwood, Mass.

Captain Bilotta At Atlantic City

Capt. Joseph P. Bilotta, of 21 Shaw Street, Norwood, has reported to the AAF Redistribution Station No. 1 at Atlantic City, New Jersey, after eight months of service overseas in the European theatre of war.

The Captain was a pilot on a B-17 while overseas. He engaged in 35 combat missions. He wears the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Unit Citation.

The Captain is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Joseph Bilotta, who reside at 21 Shaw Street, Norwood, Mass.

Cpl. John MacLeod With Bomber Group

15TH AAF IN ITALY: Cpl. John A. MacLeod, 23, husband of Mrs. Margaret MacLeod. 85 Winslow Avenue, Norwood, has been overseas ten months with a veteran liberator bombardment group which has flown over 125 missions against key German held targets in Southern Europe.

A radio mechanic, Cpl. MacLeod maintains the radio equipment and interphone system in one of the planes of his squadron. He has been in the army since August, 1942, and received his training at Madison, Wis.

He was graduated from Walpole High School and is a former employee of Bird’ & Son Inc., East Walpole, Mass.

Lt. Joseph Palleiko At Miami Beach

1st Lt. Joseph P. Palleiko, 24, of Norwood, has arrived at Army Air Forces Redistribution Station No. 2 in Miami Beach for reassignment processing after completing a tour of duty outside the continental United States.

Lieutenant Palleiko was a B-25 pilot in the Mediterranean theater. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. S. Palleiko, 12 St. Paul, avenue, Norwood.

Lt. Harold Kiley Home From Pacific

Lt. (j.g.) Harold F. Kiley, Jr., will leave Sunday after spending a 24-day Navy leave at his home, 14 George Street. Lt. Kiley is here after seventeen months in the the South Pacific.

S-Sgt. Grusheski Home From Overseas

S-Sgt. Walter F. Grusheski, 175 Railroad Avenue, Norwood, has returned from overseas under the Army’s furlough rotation plan after eight months in the European Theater.

Promoted To Sergeant

Sgt. Jaques A. Nardin has just been promoted from Corporal. He is a radio inspector at the Ephrata Army Air Base, Ephrata, Washington, where his wife and baby are with him.

Now In France

Word has been received by the family of Lt. Margaret McDonough of Lyden Street that she has arrived safely in France.

Begins Navy Training

George Lewis of Lincoln street, left last Friday to begin his training at Sampson, N. Y.

Unit Commended

Members of the Field Artillery outfit that Sergt. George P. Heliotis of Saunders Road is in, all received medals for the good work they did in liberating a French town.

Theodore Curtin Is Appointed To Naval Academy

Theodore A. Curtin, son of Dr. and Mrs. Timothy J. Curtin of Hoyle Street, Norwood, has been nominated as principal to the United States Naval Academy. The announcement of his appointment was made by Congressman Richard B. Wigglesworth who also announced other appointments to the military and naval academies to fill vacancies from the 13th Congressional District.

A graduate of St. Catherine’s School and Norwood High School, Curtin is a member of the U. S. Naval Reserve stationed at the Naval Training Station at Harvard University.

(All articles originally published in the Norwood Messenger)