This Military Service Page was created/owned by
SSgt Robert Bruce McClelland, Jr.
to remember
Bostwick, George Eugene, Col USAF(Ret).
If you knew or served with this Airman and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
In WWII he was credited with destroying 8 enemy aircraft in aerial combat plus 2 damaged and 6 destroyed on the ground.
Little is known about his post-war career in the USAAF/USAF except that he was stationed in OH; AL; La Jolla, CA; and Chateauroux, France. He was promoted to Lt. Col. Oct 19, 1950 and to Col. Apr 15, 1953. It is also known that beside the BS at Stanford (years unknown), he got an MS in Industrial Engineering (school & years unknown, possibly also Stanford.)
The location of his remains is unknown.
Synopsis of his Silver Star citation: Awarded for actions during World War II
(Citation Needed) - SYNOPSIS: George E. Bostwick, United States Army Air Forces, was awarded the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry in action against the enemy while serving with the EIGHTH Air Force in the European Theater of Operations during World War II.
General Orders: Headquarters, 8th Air Force, General Orders No. 489 (1944)
This Remembrance is based upon, and credited to, the research of USMF member Ian Phillips "Sabrejet" (user name) which may be seen at this link: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=58080&hl=
WWII - European Theater of Operations/Central Europe Campaign (1945)
From Month/Year
March / 1945
To Month/Year
May / 1945
Description On March 22, 1945, the U.S. Third Army established a second salient, in addition to the one at Remagen, across the Rhine River at Oppenheim, 288 miles southwest of Berlin. The next day its troops also crossed the river at Boppard, 40 miles northwest of Oppenheim. Farther north, British and Canadian forces went across near Wesel, 65 miles northwest of Bonn. Ninth Air Force and Royal Air Force troop carriers and gliders dropped an American and a British airborne division north of Wesel on March 24, while the U.S. Ninth Army crossed the river 10 miles southeast of Wesel. The next day the U.S. First Army began an advance into Germany from Remagen, just south of Bonn, and on March 26 the Seventh Army crossed the Rhine River north of Mannheim, about 25 miles south of Oppenheim. Five days later, on March 31, French troops crossed the Rhine 10 miles south of Mannheim.
Before the Allied armies began crossing the Rhine in force, Allied air forces bombed and strafed German positions in the contested areas along the river. Heavy bombers also flew battlefield interdiction missions between March 21 and 24, before returning to strategic bombardment missions against targets in Germany. Although little of strategic value remained because of the destruction wrought by the
combined bomber offensive, oil refineries and fuel depots remained primary targets.
The Luftwaffe could no longer effectively oppose the heavy bombers nor could it provide close air support for retreating German troops.
When fuel was available, the enemy continued to intercept Allied bomber formations with a few fighter aircraft. On the battle front, AAF fighter-bombers flew close air support and tactical reconnaissance missions for Allied forces, while medium bombers attacked bridges, trucks, troop concentrations, railroads, and airfields. Troop carrier and transport aircraft flew critically needed supplies to forward airfields that had been rebuilt by aviation engineers behind the advancing Allied armies. After delivering supplies, the pilots loaded wounded soldiers and liberated prisoners of war and returned them to the rear areas. The last mission of the AAF's heavy bombers in Europe involved flying supplies to the starving population in The Netherlands.
