Norwich University - War Whoop Yearbook (Northfield, VT)

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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

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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 xx ffffr,-, ,,- -xxxxqgggg., .f MELVIN S. HERSXHON Class of 1946 Lieutenant, 48 3rd Group, 15th Air Force Lieutenant Hershon was awarded the Air Medal with clusters for missions completed as a navigator on a B-17, Flying Fortress, over the Ploesti Oil Fields, southern France, Rome, Arno, and the Balkins. He was authorized to wear a silver star on his European Theater Ribbon for his participation in the North Apennines, North- ern France, Air Combat Balkans, Rome-Arno, and Southern France Campaigns. His airplane was badly hit over its target at Bleichammer, Ger- many. One member of the crew survived, the other members were reported as missing in action, but were assumed as killed in action by the War Department on September 13, 1944. His parents, Harry B. and Molly Hershon, survive him and make their home in Newton, Massachusetts. ARTHUR BERTRAND KNIGHT, 11 Class of 1946 Private First Class, 410th Infantry, 103rd Division A native of Littleton, New Hampshire, Private Knight grad- uated from the Littleton High School in 1942 prior to his entrance into Norwich. He left Norwich in April, 1943, to become suc- cessively a tank instructor in the Armored Force, an aviation cadet, and an infantryman. Private Knight was a Browning automatic rifleman with Com- pany L of the 410th Infantry in the Vosges Mountain region when he was killed on January 25, 1945, by a German sniper, and was buried in the United States Military Cemetery at Epinal, France. Arthur B. and Ruth F. Knight, his mother and father, live in Littleton, New Hampshire. DENNIS J. LACEY Class of 1946 Second Lieutenant, 3rd Fighter Squadron Command Lieutenant Lacey, the son of Martin T. Lacey of River Edge, , New Jersey, was ordered to the Southwest Pacific area after winning his wings and commission as a pilot. While flying from Australia to New Guinea, his fighter plane crashed at Queenstown, Australia, on November 7, 1944. Lieu- tenant Lacey lost his life in the crash. TWENTY-EIGHT