Albert F. "Al" Jablonski, 90, of Arvada was born on June 4th, 1924 in Cicero, IL. He was the only son of Mary and Albert George Jablonski. He grew up and received his early education in Cicero, IL. In 1942. Al, like so many of that era called the "Greatest Generation" enlisted at 18 years of age in the 8th Air Force - part of the Army Air Corps. He was assigned to the 509th Bombardment Squadron, 351st Bombardment Group (H). He attained the rank of Staff Sergeant as a ball turret gunner in the B-17 Flying Fortress. He completed 30 missions over enemy occupied continental Europe. He was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, a Presidential Unit citation in 1944, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, a World War 2 Victory Medal, and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. Like others of that "Greatest Generation" he refused a Purple Heart after being hit in the face with enemy shrapnel after seeing so many of the men he served with pay the ultimate sacrifice with their lives. Al tells of one mission where their plane was so badly shot up that the engines were failing. The Squadron leader asked for a vote whether to ditch the plane in the English Channel or land in enemy occupied Germany. Every man - Al included knowing he couldn't swim - said ditch! They ditched the plane in a part of the English Channel that only had two feet of water. How relieved he must have been. And, of course - he saw more serious and horrendous missions. Albert truly earned his wings serving his country honorably from November of 1942 until September of 1945.