Norwich University - War Whoop Yearbook (Northfield, VT)

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ff XX ,,,,-,,, I ff- .f VICTOR F. BELOTTI, JR. Class of 1946 Flight Officer, Army Air Corps On December 27, 1944, Flight Officer Belotti was the Hrst pilot of a B-24, Liberator, on his last flight with his crew before departing for overseas when his airplane exploded in mid-air over Mantauck, Long Island, New York. The entire crew lost their lives in the explosion. Victor attended school in Newton and in Somerville, Massachu- setts, before coming to Norwich. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Victor F. Belotti, now live in Somerville, Massachusetts. MICHAEL JAMES BIAKIS Class of 1946 F Second Lieutenant, Army Air Corps Mike attended the Technical High School in Springfield, where he took an active part in various class functions. In addi- tion to his school acticities, he was a member of the St. George Greek Orthodox Memorial Church and the AHEPA, Chapter 85. Mike had completed seven missions as a bomber pilot over Germany when on January 19, 1945, he did not return from a training mission conducted under adverse weather conditions. The crew and airplane have never been found. He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Biakis, of Springheld, Massachusetts. .1 S , NS, XVAYNE S. BURGESS Class of 1946 Apprentice Seaman, United States Navy XVayne came to Norwich from Bradford, Vermont, where he had graduated from Bradford Academy in 1943 with second honors in his class. After leaving Norwich, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps, but was rejected because of a minor physical disability. Later, he enlisted in the- Navy, and was attending Dartmouth College under the Navy V-12 program. He was involved in an automobile accident caused by icy roads in the vicinity of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, while on leave. He died in the Brightlook Hospital in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, on January 1, 1945. Mr. A. C. Burgess, his father, resides in Bradford, Vermont. TWENTY-SIX

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ff -3XgxXSXxx ,-if fff- J, .-f1xf.,- xxgg .- , .9.9- RALPH SHEPARD MADISON C1,,,, gf 1945 Corporal, 2nd Marine Division Ralph was ordered to the Hawaiian Islands after completing his training as a radio operator and repairman. He trained in the Islands for his duties as the radio operator of an amphibious tank with the 2nd Marine Division. He was engaged in the battle for Saipan on July 3, 1944, when the tank in which he was a crew member struck a mine. He and one other crewman of the seven-man crew were killed instantly. Mrs. Jean Madison and her two-year-old son, Lyn Francis, make their home in Northfield, Vermont. Ralph's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Francis Madison, reside in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. survive him. Daiuo LOUIS SASSOROSSI clam of 1945 Private First Class, 314th Infantry Dario was selected to participate in the Army Specialized Train- ing Program after his entry into the Army in April, 1943. He attended Colorado College, after which he was assigned to Fort Leonard Wood for infantry training. He was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge for his performance of duty with Company L. On January 16, 1945, his company was advancing in the vicinity of Rohrwiller, France, when they were subjected to an artillery barrage. Dario was hit by shrapnel, and was killed instantly. He was laid to rest in the United States Military Cemetery at Epinal, France. I ' I His mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Sassorossi, reside in Barre, Vermont, where Dario was born on October 1, 1923. TWENTY-FIVE A. ROBERT OGSTON Class of 1945 Private, 350th Infantry, 88th Division In the battle of Salerno, on july 10, 1944, Bob's unit, Com- pany K, was advancing against the enemy, who were entrenched in a mountainous region.. Bob was hit in the head by shrapnel and thus made the supreme sacrifice. Before departing for overseas, Bob was married on May 10, 1943, to Betty Jean Pharris of Tulsa, Oklahoma. His wife and daughter, who was born five days before her father waas killed, Prior to his death, Bob had taken part in the battle for Anzio, and had been awarded the Combat Infantry Badge.

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14 ,bxxxxsxxx 'ff J., fffffff xx .4 ROBERT H. BUSCHEN C1,,,,,,f 1946 Private First Class, 271st Infantry, 69th Division Bob was described as popular, versatile, and modest by one of his teachers. He was the head of Arista of Richmond Hill High School of Ridgewood, New York, for two terms, in addition to being a Scout leader, active in dramatic productions, and graduated second in his class. He left Norwich to enter the Army in February of 1944. He turned down an opportunity to attend West Point, as he wanted to go overseas. Bob was a member of Company G of the 271st Infantry in their advance toward Dickershied, Germany, in the Siegfried Line. On February 28, 1945, after ten days of active combat in which he had earned the Combat Infantry Badge, he was killed by enemy machinegun fire after exposing himself so that he could deliver fire. Bob was buried in the Henri Chapelle Cemetery in Belgium. His grandparents, Edward and Mary I. Brown, of Ridgewood, New York, with whom Robert lived, survive him, as does his father, Mr. Henry A. Buschen, of Scarsdale, New York. RONALD AMES CARGILL Class of 1946 Second Lieutenant, 490th Bomb Group, Sth Air Force Ronald won his wings and was commissioned a Flight Officer in May of 1944. He was promoted to a Lieutenant prior to his departure for England in December with the 851st Bomb Squadron. On Sunday morning, February 25, 1945, after having been awarded the Air Medal for the completion of ten missions, nine of which had been flown in eleven days, Lieutenant Cargill and his crew were over Munich at 25,000 feet when his Fortress was hit by flak after releasing their bombs. Ronald was killed instantly when hit by shrapnel. The rest of the crew was uninjured and landed at Nancy, France. Ronald was buried in the cemetery at Limey, France. Mr. and Mrs. Julian Cargill of Larchmont, New York, two sisters, and his younger brother, john, who is attending Norwich at the present time, survive him. DAVID LESTER. GILLETT CMH of 1946 Private First Class, 361st Infantry, 91st Division At the age of twelve, David's parents moved from Englewood, New Jersey, to Alexandria, Virginia, where he attended school for two years. From 1939 to 1942, he attended the Loomis School, Windsor, Connecticut, before coming to Vermont to attend Nor- wich. He liked outdoor life, particularly hunting. ' In his capacity as squad leader, David was killed by machinegun ire on September 16, 1944, in the battle for Futa Pass 1n.Italy, part of the campaign to break the Gothic Line. It was his first engagement. Glenn D. and Dorothy W. Gillett, his mother and father, make theirhome at Belle Haven, Alexandria, Virginia. V TWENTY-SEVEN