News-Info-Alerts

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci

(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Re: WW II POW Recognized

Date: June 12, 2001

"World War II Veteran Finally Recognized for His Heroism; Thanks to Cal Guard, Vet to Receive Distinguished Flying Cross
Updated: Tue, Jun 12 8:46 PM EDT


SACRAMENTO, Calif. (BUSINESS WIRE) - The California National Guard has found yet another World War II veteran who was never formally recognized for his heroism in World War II.

Maj. Gen. Daniel Gibson, California National Guard, will bestow the Distinguished Flying Cross upon retired Sgt. Anson M. Riley at 1:00 p.m., June 14, at the Stockton Army Aviation Support Facility, 2000 Stimson Road, Stockton, Calif. Riley, who is currently fighting cancer, was the ball turret gunner in the aircraft "Destiny's Child" when the plane was shot down over Leipzig, Germany in 1944. Riley was a prisoner of war until June 6, 1945 when the war ended.

Riley was the last man out of Destiny's Child as it dived from the sky. While his crewmates parachuted from the plunging aircraft, Riley continued firing the machine guns fighting off enemy aircraft and providing protective fire so that his crewmates could drift safely to ground. Using the turret's hand crank he hoisted himself from the ball turret and parachuted from the plane. He sustained two broken legs as he extracted himself from the turret and was in a full-body cast as a POW.

The California National Guard's protocol office began gathering documentation necessary to obtain the award more than a year ago. Riley is one of seven combat veterans (many of whom may have gone unrecognized) that the Guard has helped since it accepted the additional duty in 1998."