Born in 1921, Charlie was named after his father's brother that was killed in the Second Battle of the Marne, July 1918. Charlie was 19 yrs old and stationed at Hickam Field, Pearl Harbor on 12/07/41 when the Japanese attacked. He usually skipped breakfast, but a friend talked him into going "in his skivvies" because it was "pancake day." Despite the chow hall taking a direct bomb blast, Charlie made it out. He followed prior orders to make it to HQ, abscond with certain top secret files, and evade capture. One wonders if the files related to the US Navy project to break the Japanese Naval Code. Charlie describes hiding alone in a cave for two days until he was sure it was safe. He then served as co-pilot on a B-17 heavy bomber crew in England, until he was shot down and captured by the Germans on July 4, 1943. Of his crew, only Charlie and two others survived the crash. One of the other two airmen died during their internment. Charlie spent two nights in the Bastille being interrogated, then he was taken to Stalag Luft III in Sagan, Poland. In January of 1945, prisoners and German guards alike were evacuated to Stalag Luft VIIA in Mooseburg, Bavaria to avoid capture by the advancing Red Army. After liberation and repatriation, Charlie graduated from Clemson in three years with honors majoring in textiles. He later married, had kids and enjoyed many happy years working for DuPont. Charlie only attended one WWII reunion party, the 60th Pearl Harbor Survivor Group reunion in 2001. Thankfully, another retired USAF family member made a video interview of Charlie's war experiences just before he died. He passed away peacefully from complications of prostate cancer on April 27, 2003 at the age of 82. Charlie is buried in the family cemetery in Magee, Mississippi.