Good morning CK..

Is there a way you could confirm for me at all if Kenneth hailed from the state of Vermont.? If so, we could possibly get this question of yours potentially fulfilled...

Hope all is well CK,

 - Dea

Yes he was from Vermont!

Thank you for your help and for offering to assist so many in preserving this history.

Excellent! Okay, here is what you could possibly do. I am going to add here for you his DFC and AM cards. If you still so choose to, you could email/contact any of the DFC/Medal Recipient sites, and if so needed, (if they will not just accept his information, name, rank, unit, state of res, serv# and so on upon good faith), you could always then ask them if they would accept a digital copy of the DFC/AM cards I am going to give you here, as proof that your request is 100% valid and verifiable.

Some of these agencies/entities that you are referring to can be a bit fickle, depending on whom receives the email, message etc, as many of us have learned over the years. Others are absolutely wonderful to work with. In a way, it can sometimes be just a luck of the draw, if some of these sites do not get back to you. (the professional ones will), then do not take it personal by any means. If you need any form of help, support or otherwise, please by all means, let me know, and the reserves will be called in...!

PS  I am also going to add in a second post for you within the hour, a few newspaper articles about him, especially with one article specifically stating his awardment of the DFC, AM, and OLC's, as this article can be potentially used for further verification and validation purposes.

- Dea

Defendress, Thank you doesn’t adequately express my appreciation for what you’ve been able to find. This is a real treasure the likes of which is rarely found in this life. My grandfather never really spoke about specifics of his service or his missions. Although he did often speak highly of the other crew and the airplanes he served in and later flew. Of course there’s always an interest in more information; but what you’ve been able to find, and so quickly, is so very much appreciated. I’ll take your advice and use this to petition those lists to have him added. If there’s anything more or any more detail you could give about units he served with I’d be very grateful. All of my accolades to you as a researcher and archivist! You are doing your country and your countrymen a great service by helping to keep this history alive! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

The honor is all   mine CK...

https://306bg.us/awards%20&%20decorations/general_orders/21jun43_8thbc_go72.pdf

CK,

Stand on the link that I added above, found his Air Medal awardment citation per G.O #72, on 21 Jun, 1943 as is stated upon the AM card, top line.

If I find anything else my friend, you know I will add it faster than in 2 shakes of a lamb's tail.

Hope all is well ..

 Dea

P.S  CK, his name is listed on Pg 4 of the Air Medal citation.

Dea, Words can’t describe the appreciation I have for your hard work and effort on behalf of myself and my family. The articles and documents you’ve found have really filled in some gaps and straightened out the understanding of what my grandfather was doing and how it shaped him and his life.

Really outstanding to see the general orders to award the air medals. I figured that document probably didn’t exist anymore.

I’vs managed to make contact with the son of one of my grandfather’s former crew , Lt. or Capt. Donald F. Thwaites who I believe was the navigator on my grandfather’s crew. I’m hoping to meet with him very soon. It would be quite something to show him what you’ve already found.

If you come across anything on him let me know as I’m sure his son would be very interested to see it.

What you’ve done for me, my family and for all these other families is really very special. You’re preserving history and keeping the memory of these brave men alive!

Dea, Words can’t describe the appreciation I have for your hard work and effort on behalf of myself and my family. The articles and documents you’ve found have really filled in some gaps and straightened out the understanding of what my grandfather was doing and how it shaped him and his life.

Really outstanding to see the general orders to award the air medals. I figured that document probably didn’t exist anymore.

I’vs managed to make contact with the son of one of my grandfather’s former crew , Lt. or Capt. Donald F. Thwaites who I believe was the navigator on my grandfather’s crew. I’m hoping to meet with him very soon. It would be quite something to show him what you’ve already found.

If you come across anything on him let me know as I’m sure his son would be very interested to see it.

What you’ve done for me, my family and for all these other families is really very special. You’re preserving history and keeping the memory of these brave men alive!

Ok,  I am not sure what they are doing over at History hub, as your thread here has been moved to the Army/Air Force section for whatever reason ...rather than the "Seeking Official List  of WWII Distinguished Cross Recipients: where you had originally added your post.

But in any case, I found informaton on a Donald Thwaites, but with an "H" in lieu of an F, as there were no names on record of a Don F Thwaites that was in the AAF during WWII.... This is the pilot's info I have acquired thus far for you and him; Don H Thwaites hailed from and enlisted in Washington, he was a Captain at one point in his career of either a group or squadron, was born in 1918, and sadly passed in 2005. If you are able to speak to your friend and see if any of that info matches up, then upon your confirmation, I will add the couple bits of info I was able to acquire thus far... hope all is well CK, and that you do get to see this ..!

Happy days.!

 - Dea

Hello Defendress 

No confusion was intended! The original thread at  RE: Seeking official list of WWII Distinguished Flying Cross recipients had grown unwieldy with multiple separate inquiries and we try to keep threads focused on individual requests to make them easier to track for our staff.  Accordingly, the various requests were split into their own respective threads.

Oh hah! Thank you for taking the time to post that reply, as I understand now. Was just initially kind of saying to my self " What in the world...?" ..

Hey CK!

I was able to find some info on your friend's family member, only difference being that Don's middle initial is an H in lieu of an "F". Enlisted in Washington state, was born in 1918, passed in 2005...Was a captain in the AAF at one point during his tenure..let me know if any of this is confirmed by him, and if so, I will add for you (for him) the few bits of info I have acquired thus far ...hope all is well friend.

- Dea

Dea,

That would be him. Enlisted out of Washington state and passed away in 2005. I've been able to make contact with his son who would be thrilled to get anything similar to what you provided for me and my grandfather's DFC/Air Medal or news articles.

We are planning to meet and perhaps find other family members of the bomber crew my grandfather and Thwaites belonged to.

Thank you for all of your hard work and know that your efforts are very much appreciated by him, myself and all of our families.

Regards,

CK

Oh that sounds awesome CK, please let me know when you are bith able to meet up, and if you ever find any surviving family members of their fellow crew..am crossing my fingers for luck for the two of you.

In regards to some info for your friend's father, Don H Thwaites, I will add that which I have found so far for him CK...

Air Transport Command Passenger Crew List

- May 29th, 1944

- Departure from: Prestwick, Scotland

- Arrival in: Washington, DC

Don Thwaites 1953 USAF MATS Passenger Manifest

- Arrival Dest: Mcord AFB, Seattle Wash

Official Register of the United States 1956

- Don Thwaites' name is found on pg 311

I shall continue scouring all ends of the net to try to locate anything further for your grandfather, and for your friend's father..

Please give him my best, and all my best to you too CK....

- Dea

Defendress,

I wanted to pass along that I did make contact with the son of Don Thwaites and he has been extremely appreciative for the information you were able to research. I passed it all to him and he shared it with his wife and sons who, for the first time, had some illumination into what their grandfather did during the war.

I'm really interested in now expanding the search for other information on the crewmembers from this airplane and crew. I've got some photos from two different periods and they're showing the same crewmembers and signatures that match a list I found available online.

Since you've been so incredible helpful would there be a way I could reach out to you directly or list the names here for the crew and see if you can find any additional information such as the awards and or news articles you found for my grandfather and his former navigator Thwaites?

The work you've done and are doing is beyond anything I could have hoped for. Your contributions are very much appreciated.

I'm hoping that, when my research is all done, I can have all of these men added to the appropriate records for DFC, Air Medal and unit lists.

The information out there online is really lacking regarding these men and I'm sure thousands more who are not recognized appropriately for their contributions to history.

Thank you for all you do.

-CKH

Hello CK.!! Excellent to hear this! ... We are allowed to add links to groups on here as was stated by one of the members from NARA a few weeks ago....you know my name.... and I will absoultely assist you in every way possible my friend... I am humbled.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/969643447402409

In respect and friendship always..

PS     Dea is a shortened version of my name.

Hi Defendess. Thank you for the link to the WWI site. I’ve sent you a PM based on that. I greatly appreciate it. This is a very fulfilling project for me and the other family members of this crew. I look forward to hearing back from you.