Unforgotten Glory readership continues to grow. Here, indexed in chronological order read the story from the beginning.
Thanks everyone for joining in commemorating the 75th anniversary of D-DAY by following this storytelling of the life of US Army Staff Sergeant Charles “Chuckie” Melvin Wilson and his fellow Operation Carpetbagger crew of the 36thBomb Squad, 801st Bomb Group so that their contribution to freedom will not be forgotten.
- “Time will not dim the glory of their deeds”
- Timeline – Life story from the beginning
- Everyone leaves behind a legacy when they die.
- His B-24 Liberator – “The Worry Bird”
- 19 January 1922 – Born in Mississippi
- 1929 – Family move up north
- June 1941 – Beaver High School Graduation
- 30 June 1942 – Draft Registration
- 9 September 1942 – Enlistment in US Army
- Sept 1942 – Saying ‘Farewell’ but not ‘Good-bye’
- October 1942 – Training Serial #13108715 Army Recruit
- 4-5 January 1944 – First Carpetbagger Mission from Harrington
- 15 Feb 1944 – “The Ambrose Crew” arrive to Great Britain
- 25 March – Move to RAF Harrington airbase for Operation Carpetbagger
- 1 April 1944 – 801st Bomb Group Established
- 14 April 1944 – a Letter from Home, “You’re an uncle!”
- 14 April 1944 – Letter from Home, “You’re an uncle!”
- 4-5 January 1944 – First Carpetbagger Mission from Harrington
- B-24 Liberator – Flight Engineer
- 9-10 April 1944 – Chuckie’s first Carpetbagger mission
- 10 -11 April 1944 – First completed operation
- 18 – 20 April 1944 ~ On Leave in London
- 23-24 April 1944 – Rebecca, can you hear me?
- 24-25 April 1944 – Reception Excellent
- Pinpoint Target: A farm near Saint-Cyr-de-Valorges
- Timeline – Life story from the beginning
- 27 April 1944 – Daylong preparations for final flight
- 22:29 hrs – 27 April 1944, take off into the dark night sky
- 27 April 1944: “1 B-24 is lost”
- 16 May 1944 – Dear Mrs. Wilson, regrettably
- First Letter: 16 May 1944 – Dear Mrs. Wilson, regrettably
- Welcome. If you’re new to the site,
- 29 April 1944 – Official Report: Missing in Action
- The Crash (Part one): 01:00 hrs – 28 April 1944, target reached
- The Crash (Part two): 02:10 hrs – 28 April 1944, the plane strikes high ground and crashes
- The Crash (Part three): 02:20 – 28 April 1944, seen like a beacon
- The Crash (Part four): 08:00 – 28 April 1944, it was the next day
- 28 April -27 Aug 1944 – Two Worry Bird airmen evade the Enemy
- 29 April 1944 – One Worry Bird airman is now POW
- 4 May 1944 – French agents report back, plane crashed
- 6 June 1944 – D-Day and The Maquis and French resistance army
- Second Letter: 21 June 1944 – My dear Mrs. Wilson, my sympathy
- 19 June 1944 – Happy 21st birthday, Jimmy
- Colonel Clifford Heflin – Commander of The Carpetbaggers
- 27 August 1944 – Two Worry Bird airmen safely return to Harrington
- 3 April 1945 – Chuckie’s brother enlists in the Army
- 22 April 1945 – Public memorial in St. Cyr de Valorge
- 4 May 1945 – Survivor James Cyril Mooney is liberated from POW camp
- 8 May 1945 – WWII in Europe ends sooner thanks to the Carpetbaggers
- November 1945 – Readers Digest publishes Carpetbagger story in America,a first
- 7 Sept. 1945 – first of many awards and citations to commend the Carpetbaggers
- Official Military Personnel File
- Third Letter: 22 April 1946 – Wilson family finally get the answer feared
- Fourth Letter: 18 July 1946 – Temporary burial location, Luynes
- Fifth Letter: 21 December 1948 – Final interment conducted
- Sixth Letter: 14 June 1950 – Death Statement
- Lone Carpetbagger – Rhone American Cemetery, France
- 19 Sept. 1987 – Carpetbagger Memorial dedicated at Harrington
- 25 May 2019 – family visit grave for first time
- Life Goes On – 1950s to 1990s
- Everyone leaves behind a legacy when they die.
- “They gave their sons to military services” – WWII Memorial honors them
- Unforgotten memories this Memorial Day
- To a real pal
Unforgotten Glory 