Patrick J. Connolly, of Howard Beach, NY enlisted as an Aviation Cadet on April 14, 1942. He was assigned to Kelly Field Classification Center in San Antonio, TX on August 11, 1942. After being judged “for group duty only” he was transferred to Radio School at Truax Field in Madison, WI. Upon completion of training, he attended OCS at Scott Field in St. Clair County, IL and was commissioned on February 6, 1943. Assigned to Radar School in Boca Raton, FL in September 1943, he became a member of the 80th Squadron 436th Troop Carrier Group as a Radio (S) Officer. In mArch 1944 he was transferred to Maxwell Classification Center in Montgomery, AL. In April 1944 he was assigned to class 44-10 at San Angelo, TX for Bombardier Training. On July 22, 1944 he received his wings. Following Bombardier training he joined Lt. Philip Mann’s crew in Drew Field in Tampa, FL for transition to a B-17G. On November 18, 1944 the crew arrived in the UK landing in Ayre, Scotland. Assigned to the 34th Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force his crew included Lt. Philip Mann (Pilot), George Kotun (Co-Pilot), William Chestnut (Navigator), Dick Benson (Ball Turret Gunner), Edward Dayton (Waist Gunner), Kazmer Janowski (Radio) and Joseph Bobrowicz (Tail Gunner). William Davis was the mechanic. Lt.’s Mann, Kotun and Chestnut completed 35 missions. Lt. Connolly and the remainder of the crew completed 33 missions.



Awarded the Air Medal and four Oak Leaf Clusters. On February 26, 1945 his ship, the Ole Timer, returned from Berlin with power only in one engine, two were feathered, one was wind-milling. In a steep glide losing 900 ft/min and after salvoing everything, including the ball turret, Ole Timer leveled off at 500 feet and fought its way back to a crash landing in Brussels, Belgium. Lt. Mann and Lt. Kotun were awarded a well deserved Distinguished Flying Cross. Other missions included Munich on February 25th, Dresden on March 2, Swinemunde on March 12, and three times to Berlin.



Discharged on December 3, 1945, he returned to civilian life and served on the New York City Police Department and then transferred to the New York City Fire Department where he attained the rank of Captain. Married to his wife Breeda on February 15, 1947, they are parents to six sons and two daughters. They have 23 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren. Patrick J. Connolly passed away in New York City on August 20, 2017 at 96 years old.