Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III (right foreground) hosted an office call for eight Army Air Corps members before presenting them with the Prisoner of War Medal during a ceremony in the Pentagon, Washington, , April 30, 2014. The eight aviators receiving the medal are: Sgt. William G. Blackburn, Tech. Sgt. Alva H. Moss, 1st Lt. Paul J. Gambaiana, Lt. Col. (ret.) James I. Misuraca, Maj. (ret.) James V. Moran, 1st Lt. James F. Mahon, Staff Sgt. John G. Fox, Sgt. George E. Thursby. The eight aviators served in World War II as bomber crew members. They were shot down flying miss
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III (right foreground) hosted an office call for eight Army Air Corps members before presenting them with the Prisoner of War Medal during a ceremony in the Pentagon, Washington, , April 30, 2014. The eight aviators receiving the medal are: Sgt. William G. Blackburn, Tech. Sgt. Alva H. Moss, 1st Lt. Paul J. Gambaiana, Lt. Col. (ret.) James I. Misuraca, Maj. (ret.) James V. Moran, 1st Lt. James F. Mahon, Staff Sgt. John G. Fox, Sgt. George E. Thursby. The eight aviators served in World War II as bomber crew members. They were shot down flying missions over Germany and were held in a prison camp in Wauwilermoos, Switzerland. The men were originally denied POW status. Army Maj. Dwight Mears, whose grandfather Lt. George Mears, who was held at the prison, fought diligently for 15 years to get the men recognized as POWs. Then Acting Secretary of the Air Force Eric Fanning authorized the medal for 143 Army Air Corps aviators in October of last year. Andy Morataya)
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Photo credit: © PJF Military Collection / Alamy / Afripics
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Keywords: ., .., air, airforce, chief, csaf, force, gen., iii, jim, location, mark, medal, military, pentagon, pow, prisoner, saf/aaim, staff, states, united, usa, varhegyi, war, welsh
