r/OldSchoolCool • u/CaroylOldersee • 19h ago

WW2 Lieutenant Colonel - My Grandfather 1940’s

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176 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

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10

u/CaroylOldersee 19h ago

He passed away of a heart attack in 1975, so never met the man; while he was spoken about a lot when I was a kid, details are fuzzy and grandma isn’t around any longer. Wish I had more info!

I know he went into the FBI after the war and was stationed in Japan and the Philippines…

1

u/SheriffBartholomew 17h ago

He's very young for a Lt. Colonel. Handsome lad. If you got his looks then you're a lucky fella.

3

u/NYCinPGH 8h ago

There were a lot of quick promotions during the war, especially in “high attrition” roles like combat pilot. Jimmy Stewart went from 2nd lieutenant in Jan ‘42 to full colonel in March ‘45, and not because he was famous; he had a leg up because he was already a qualified pilot when he signed up in March of ‘41, but it was merit, and the fact that he survived so many bombing missions. He was old for a recruit - 33 - but there’s no reason why someone a decade younger couldn’t have had similar advancement.

Another famous example is James Gavin, who was made a brigadier general and deputy commander of 82nd Airborne at 36; quite young, but he was only a captain in the regular army only 3 years before.

4

u/notkevin02 18h ago

Pilot wings and a light colonel's leaf at what looks like late twenties. The wartime Air Forces promoted that fast because they were losing squadron commanders and standing up new groups at the same time.

2

u/tjtonerplus 19h ago

Very elegant!

2

u/Hunkyboy440 11h ago

An outstanding member of the Greatest Generation.

1

u/Key-Effective6725 18h ago

He is very handsome

1

u/CaptRackham 9h ago

He’d be a “Wheel” a squadron commander

1

u/davewave3283 17h ago

I bet he slayed his way across Europe in two ways