World War II Veteran Passes on History

Photo By Sgt. Sheila Holifield | Command Sgt. Maj. Rodney Harris, First Army's 177th Armored Brigade command sergeant major, Mr. Thomas Fry, 85, who served as a radio operator during combat in WWII with the Army Air Corps, Col. J Chesney, commander of First Army's 177th Armored Brigade. The commander and command sergeant major joined Mr. Thomas Fry in his home to present him with a certificate of appreciation for donating his WWII Army Air Corps artifacts to the Camp Shelby Joint Forces Museum.  

UNITED STATES

12.09.2008

Story by Sgt. Sheila Holifield 

First Army

By Sgt. Sheila Holifield
First Army Public Affairs

CAMP SHELBY, Miss. - The year was 1943 and the most widespread war in history, World War II, had been underway for four years. Mr. Thomas Fry of Hattiesburg, Miss. was enrolled in his first semester in college in Pennsylvania.

Fry and 29 of his classmates, making up the entire all boys college, quit school and joined the United States Army Air Corps to help fight in what was to become the deadliest conflict in history.

Fry became a radio operator in the USAAC, known today as the United States Air Force. During his service in the Second War he flew 52 missions in Europe. Based out of Venosa, Italy, he was a member of a ten man team on a B24 nicknamed "Hitler's Eggmen".

"We named it that because we were dropping eggs in the form of 500 pound bombs on them," said Fry.

He was filled with patriotic pride as he discussed his service during combat in WWII. He recalled his greatest memory as making it through the war alive.

"Getting back to base alive 52 times was quite the feat," said Fry. "You really thought you were going to lose your life every time you went out on a mission."

Fry, who is now 85, is one of three men still alive out of the ten man B24 team that fought in the war.

During a recent trip to the Camp Shelby Joint Forces Museum, he noticed there were no artifacts from the United States Army Air Corps' contribution in WWII, so Fry decided to donate photos and other artifacts for the museums use.

"I wanted to leave something for future generations to look at," said Fry. "We did great service for our country and that part of history should not be left out."

Fry, who resides in Hattiesburg, Miss., retired from the USAAC as a Tech. Sgt. and is married to Elizabeth (Betty).

• Date Taken: 12.09.2008
• Date Posted: 12.09.2008 11:45
• Story ID: 27379
• Location: US