John Thomas/Donald Putnam

John Thomas/Donald Putnam. . (left side:) , 1st Lt. John Blakeslee Thomas was part of Operation Tidal Wave on 1 August 1943. Blake piloted a B-24D Liberator in a surprise attack on the Ploesti oilfield refinery complex known as "Hitler's gas station." Heavy defenses engaged Blake's 98th Bomb Group of the Ninth Air Force in a rare air-ground battle. His plane, "Aire Lobo," took hits while approaching the target. Multiple crewmen were wounded. Just after the bomb load was released at low altitude, a flak shell struck the cockpit, killing John. His plane careened into the ground, "crashed left wing first and disintegrated." All 10 crewmen died. OP Tidal Wave was the blackest day in the history of American military aviation, as two-thirds of the force was shot down or damaged and 310 aircrew killed. John was from the North Rose Central., Class of 1938 with sixteen students. , Pilot's Wings, Unit Citation, DFC, Honorable Service Medal, Purple Heart, N. African Campaign Medal, American Campaign Medal, world war two Campaign Medal, Air Medal, To the Fallen of Ploesti: , To you who fly on forever I send that part of me which cannot be separated and is bound to you for all time. I send to you those of our hopes and dreams that never quite came true, the joyous laughter and showery tears of our boyhood, the marvelous mysteries of our adolescence the glorious strength, and tragic illusions of our young manhood, all these that were and perhaps would have been, I leave in your care, out there in the Blue. , - John Riley Kane, Colonel, U.S.A.F. (Ret.), (right side:) , 1st Lt. Donald Melvin Putnam was part of Operation Crossbow, the campaign to stop Hitler's V-1 buzz bombs. These attacks killed over 6,000 British civilians and wounded 28,000. Melvin flew with the 78th Fighter Group of the VIII Fighter Corps. On 5 January 1944, Melvin's flight escorted B-17 bombers targeting rocket launch sites in northern France. Melvin's trio of P-47C Thunderbolts was attacked by a formation of Fw-190s during the return trip from the target. Low on fuel, Melvin was last seen turning to meet the attack, an act which allowed one of his wingmen to escape the ambush. Melvin's plane crashed after a final radio transmission that he was "O.K. providing he could get out of this place." Melvin was from the North Rose Central Class of 1938 with sixteen students. He painted a red apple on the fuselage of his plane., Donald Melvin Putnam was lost on his 77th mission over enemy territory. His remains were recovered and repatriated in September 1944 after the Allies liberated northern France. His family likely never learned the nature of his final mission., DFC, Pilot's Wings, Purple Heart, Air Medal x 3 Oak Leaf Clusters., (list of sponsors:) , Gary and Dorothy Colvin . Elise and Edward Gaylord . The Chapin Family . Donald R. Combes . The Thomas Family . Marshall Family Foundation . North Rose Lions Club .Robert G. Boehmler Community Foundation . Lyons National Bank . SOS Roofing . Reliant Credit Union . Edwin Seth Jenks . Humbert Family . The DeCrackers . Mural Mania . Handcrafted Hugs Club . CP Mill Works - Paul Fordam