Dear Mom:- Letters Home From the War in the Pacific
Navigator
20th Air Force
XXI Bomber Command
313 Bombardment Wing
505th Bombardment Group
483rd Bombardment Squadron
Distinguished
Flying Cross
Air Medal
Purple Heart
Asia-Pacific
Campaign Medal
American
Campaign Medal
World War II
Victory Medal
On December 3, 1942, my father, George O’Laughlin, enlisted in the US Army while a student at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend Indiana. In June 1943, he reported for duty at Camp Grant in Rockford Illinois, to begin his military service ‘for the duration of the war plus 6 months’, which would turn out to be just under 3 years when he was discharged in January 1946.
He was assigned to the Army Air Corps and earned his wings as a navigator of the B-29 Superfortress bomber. In March 1945 he deployed to Tinian and, with his crew, completed 24 bombing missions in the run-up to the end of the war in the Pacific theater.
Through letters home to his widowed mother during the war and in voice recordings made in 2010 when he spoke openly about his wartime experiences for the first time, he reflects on the distant yet still raw memories of his wartime service.
This website is authored by Kevin O’Laughlin (kevolaughlin@gmail.com) and Brian Ronan (BRonan3995@fpsed.org).
©2010-2019 Kevin O’Laughlin. All rights reserved.
Audio recordings of George O’Laughlin are ℗2010-2019 Kevin O’Laughlin.
Rhode Island Veterans Cemetery
Obituary
George Wilson O’Laughlin of Cumberland, Rhode Island died peacefully at his home September 9, 2014 with his wife Ellen and their children by his side. He was 90 years old. He will be remembered as a devoted husband, a loving father, a doting grandfather, and a rabid Notre Dame sports fan.
He was born in Seneca Illinois, the son of the late James and Mary (Coughlin) O’Laughlin, graduated from Ottawa High School in 1941 and attended the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana.
At the outbreak of World War II, he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps, trained as a B-29 navigator and saw active duty on Tinian. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart, and the Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters.
At the conclusion of the war he returned to Notre Dame, earning a BS in Metallurgical Engineering in 1949.
During his long career in the steel industry George held executive positions with Republic Steel, Jones and Laughlin Steel and McLouth Steel before retiring from Rhode Island Forging Steel in 1982.
George married Ellen Schratz on May 30, 1953 in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame. They celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary in May.
In addition to his wife, George is survived by six children: Dr. David O’Laughlin and his wife Becky; Kathy O’Laughlin and her husband Rev. William Sasso; Rita O’Laughlin and her husband Dr. Richard Finegold; Kevin O’Laughlin; Daniel O’Laughlin; and Susan Ronan and her husband Edward. He was the cherished grandfather of Laura, Christopher, Kelly, Elena and Brian.
He was the brother of the late Joseph and Robert O’Laughlin and Mary Helen Hollahan, and the admired uncle of twenty-five nieces and nephews and many grandnieces and grandnephews.
He was an active member of St. John Vianney Parish in Cumberland and the Knights of Columbus.
Relatives and friends are invited to a Mass of Christian Burial Friday, September 12, 2014 at 9am in Saint John Vianney Church, 3609 Diamond Hill Road, Cumberland.
Burial will be in RI Veteran’s Cemetery, Exeter.
