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The items for sale are to honor the veterans who served our nation and to expose their stories which might otherwise be lesser known.
Hand signed 4x6 inch photo by World War II vet, Gerald "Bud" Berry. Lt. Berry is believed to be the pilot that dropped Dick Winters on D-Day. A story of his service:
In June of 1942, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet Program and was placed on inactive status awaiting assignment. In December of 1942, upon receiving orders, he reported for service and was assigned to the Aviation Cadet Classification Center at San Antonio, Texas. After being classified as a pilot, he progressed through the program with Primary Training at W&B Flying School in Chickasha, Oklahoma, Basic Training at Strother Army Air Field at Winfield, Kansas, and Advanced Twin Engine Training at Pampa, Texas. He graduated in November of 1943, receiving his pilot’s wings and 2nd Lieutenant Commission with the Class of 43-J. He was then assigned to Troop Carrier Command at Bergstrom Field in Austin, Texas for transitional training.
After service at Granada, Mississippi and Sedalia Army Air Field at Sedalia, Missouri, Lt. Berry was transferred to Baer Field in Fort Wayne, Indiana for overseas assignment. On March 13, 1944, he received Special Orders assigning him as Pilot of C-47 Serial Number 43-15213 to proceed with crew from Fort Wayne to Morrison Field, West Palm Beach, Florida for Air Embarkation to final destination. On March 15, 1944, he received SECRET orders, not to be opened until one hour into the flight, giving information as to destination, which was the European Theater of Operations. Upon arrival in England on March 29, 1944, the plane and crew were assigned to the 91st Squadron of the 439th Troop Carrier Group, where Lt. Berry stayed for the remainder of the hostilities in the ETO.
Lt. Berry participated in five Combat Missions including the Normandy paradrop, the paradrop and glider tow in southern France, the glider tow in Holland, and the snatch of a glider loaded with wounded soldiers from the Remagen Bridgehead in Germany on March 22, 1945. For these missions, the 439th Group was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation and was twice awarded a Croix de Guerre with Palm by the French government. Lt. Berry was authorized to wear the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the ETO Service Ribbon with seven battle stars, the Distinguished Unit Service Badge, and the Fourragere of the Croix de Guerre.
When the hostilities ended in Europe, attention shifted to the coming invasion of Japan. The 439th Troop Carrier Group was selected for service in the Pacific and, in June of 1945, was switched from the old reliable C-47 to C-46 airplanes. In July, Bud flew with the Air Echelon of the 91st Squadron to the USA for a thirty-day combat leave. When he reported back from leave in August, the A-bombs had been dropped on Japan and the war was over. He was placed in the enlisted reserves and returned to his home.
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We do accept returns within 14 days that has been communicated and approved. We have a 15% fee on items that are restocked and do pay for return shipping. Refunds are given once items are returned in original condition.
On all of our sold items we donate a percentage of profits to the Wounded Warrior project and to World War II museum in New Orleans, LA.