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SERGEANT GEORGE H. SIMPSON, 22, of 2821
Garfield Avenue in the Cramer Hill section of Camden NJ,
died in an airplane collision near Rance, Belgium on November 30, 1944.
Simpson, born in March 28, 1923, was the son of George L. and
Cecelia Simpson. The elder Simpson had been a house painter.
George
Simpson Jr. had been a student at St. Joseph's Catholic School on
Westfield Avenue, Cramer Junior High School, and Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden, and
had worked at the Mathis Shipyard there prior to his induction into the Army in
April of 1943. His father, George L. Simpson, passed away in that year.
After qualifying for flight duty, George Simpson was assigned to the
442nd Troop Carrier Group, which operated C-47 and C-53 transport
planes. The 442nd was stationed at the following bases while in the
United States. From September 1, 1943 until December of 1943, the Group
based at the Sedalia Army Air Field, Sedalia MO, before spending a month
at Alliance Army Air Field in Alliance NE. The 442nd moved to Pope Field
NC in January of 1944. The Group spent a week at Baer Field IN in the
first week of March before going overseas. During its time overseas the
442nd trained with C-47s and C-53's. Sergeant
Simpson went overseas, arriving in England on March 29, 1944. Serving
with the 442nd Troop Carrier Group, he was first
stationed at Fulbeck, Lincolnshire, England. The Group continued to
train with C-47s and C-53 transports. On June 6, 1944 the 442nd flew its
first missions during the invasion of the Continent, dropping paratroops
near Ste. Mere-Eglise D-Day and flying a re-supply mission on June 7th,
being awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for its part in the Normandy
invasion. On June 12, the Group relocated to a base at Weston Zoyland,
Somerset. The remainder of the summer was spent hauling freight and
evacuating casualties during the remainder of the summer. In July,
however, a detachment flew to Italy where it transported cargo,
evacuated casualties, and took part in the dropping paratroops in the
battle area and releasing gliders carrying reinforcements. The
detachment returned to England late in August, and in September the
group took part in the airborne attack in Holland by transporting
paratroops and towing gliders with reinforcements. They relocated again,
this time to a base at Bonnetable, France, on October 5th, flying
re-supply missions, hauling freight, and evacuating casualties in
support of the Allied effort to breach the Siegfried Line. Sergeant
Simpson was based here when he met his end. George Simpson was survived by his mother, Mrs. Cecelia
Simpson, a brother, Joseph, and
three sisters, Madeline, Mrs. Mary Floy, and Mrs. Cecelia Poreda.
He was brought home to New Jersey in the spring of 1949, and buried at
Calvary Cemetery in Delaware Township (present-day Cherry Hill) NJ on
April 9th of that year, where he lies next to his parents, and a
brother, Leo, who had preceded him in death. George
Simpson's brother Joseph
G. Simpson served as a member of the Camden Fire Department for 25
years, from May 1, 1957 through April 30, 1982. |
