Photo By Sgt. Rafael BrambilaPelayo | Service photos of U.S. Marine Corps 2nd Lt. David Cason, left, a supply officer with...... read more read more
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KJELLER AIR BASE, NORWAY –In 1943, the U.S. Eighth Air Force dropped over 100 bombs on Kjeller Air Base to liberate it from Nazi-occupation. Among the aircrew was Bombardier-Navigator Maj. Velton Winn Cason, flying a B-24 Liberator with one mission: to break the enemy’s hold on Norway.
More than 80 years later, his grandson deployed on the same soil.
“I grew up listening to stories about my grandfather; he was the main inspiration for me for joining the military,” said U.S. Marine Corps 2nd Lt. David Cason, a supply officer with Headquarters and Service Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group. “I just never imagined I’d be deployed in the same spot he fought to liberate almost a century ago”
Established in 1912, Kjeller Air Base holds a significant place in Norwegian aviation history as one of the world’s oldest airfields. During World War II, it was seized by Axis forces in 1940 and transformed into a critical aircraft factory for the Luftwaffe. This made it a key strategic target for Allied missions aimed at liberating Norway. During one of these operations, the daylight bombing raid of November 18, 1943, then 1st Lt. Velton Cason flew through heavy flak to attack the Axis factory at Kjeller.
At the time, Velton was a Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombardier-navigator stationed in England with the Eighth Air Force, 392nd Bombardment Group. He navigated his B-24 in what is now documented as the most challenging and longest mission flown by the 392nd Bomb Group, lasting 10 hours and 30 minutes in duration.
The danger during daylight bombing runs such as the raid on Kjeller Air Base was intense, the job being among the most perilous duties of the war. Historical archives state that nine B-24's were lost during that single mission on November 18, with 91 crew members listed as missing in action.
Out of about 291,000 aircrew, over 52,000 were killed and thousands more were wounded or taken as POWs. Bombing runs with Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24’s like Velton’s often saw 10-20 percent of planes not return, and the odds of a pilot surviving a full tour (25 missions) were incredibly low. Velton completed an astonishing 35 missions in total, and after the November 18th raid, he transferred to the 398th Bombardment group in 1944 and finished the remainder of his air missions flying raids with a B-17 Flying Fortress.
His grandson grew up hearing stories of that heroism.
"During one of his missions, as he was coming over a target, he was looking through the [Norden] bombsight," David shared. "A piece of flak exploded right underneath the plane and shattered the bombsight as he was looking into it. The glass in the bombsight shot into his eyes." The Aircraft’s door gunner had to duct tape Velton’s eyes open for the flight back to England, where surgeons miraculously saved his vision.
Throughout his 35 combat missions, Velton earned six Air Medals for heroic actions. Hearing these stories as a child, David saw his grandfather as an "absolute hero," shaping his own path in life.
“I joined the Marine Corps to continue my family legacy,” said David.
Today, he is responsible for running a camp on Kjeller Air Base for exercise Cold Response 26, supporting a multinational force of allies who are training to preserve the very security his grandfather fought for. Where Velton flew in hostility, David stands in partnership.
The weight of that legacy stands strong to this day.
“There’s a memorial here at the Kjeller Air Base dedicated to those who lost their lives during the 1943 bombing raid” David said. “Being able to be here and see it... I hope I can do my grandfather and his crewmembers proud.”
"It's crazy to think about," he reflected. "80 years later, your grandson is here as an officer running the same camp. I think he would think that's insane. I think he would be proud”
Editor's Note: This story was compiled from historical research, family documents, and the oral history of the Cason family.
| Date Taken: | 03.13.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 03.15.2026 08:13 |
| Story ID: | 560575 |
| Location: | OSLO, NO |
| Hometown: | ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, US |
| Hometown: | FOUNTAIN HILL, ARKANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 35 |
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