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Contact Info
Home Town Cayuta, NY
Last Address Cayuta, NY
Date of Passing Dec 10, 2012
Location of Interment Holy Cross Cemetery - Watkins Glen, New York
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
Borra, Anthony
Cayuta: Anthony "Tony" Borra, age 92, of Cayuta passed away Monday, December 10th, 2012 at Schuyler Hospital in Montour Falls. Tony was born in Watkins Glen and grew up during the depression, he often told of childhood Christmases when he was excited and happy with his only gift, an orange. In his late teens Tony spent alot of time with friends dancing, they would travel miles in a model T Ford to wherever there was a dance. He always made sure none of his friends were left behind, if a friend was missing he was known to leave a dance, go to their home and drag them to the dance. After High School he attended school for aircraft mechanics and went to work for Schweizer Aircraft Corporation building the famous TG-2 Sailplane, used so successfully in the Army and Navy training program. Before long he felt the call to arms, like so many of his generation, and joined the Army Air Force to serve as a ball turret gunner on a B-24 flying 35 missions from London/France over Germany. Tony engaged in combat missions and was awarded many medals including the Distinguished Flying Cross, 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, and 4 Bronze Stars. Once Tony returned to the states he met the love of his life and future bride, Connie Jones. He and Connie made their home in Cayuta, NY and raised 6 kids. Through ou the years they owned a number of business; The Alpine Junction restaurant and bar, Redwood Motel, Rainbow Giftshop, Gle Grocery and the Country Auto Sales. Tony is survived by his sister Mary (B0rra) Randolf, his six children, Robert E. Borra, Jamea A. Borra, William A. Borra, Frank (Pat) Borra, Richard (Mary Ann) Borra, Mary M. Borra, 10 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 am on Friday, December 14th at St. Mary's of the Lake Church, 905 Decatur St., Watkins Glen, NY. Burial with Military Honors will be at Holy Cross Cemetery, Watkins Glen. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Tony's memory to Schuyler County Volunteer Ambulance, PO Box 2, Watkins Glen, NY 14891 or to the Humane Society of Schuyler County, PO Box 427, Montour Falls, NY 14865 or to a local charity of one's choice. Friends and family may sign the guest book at www.haughey-woodfuneralhome.com
Published in Star Gazette on 12-12-2012
1944-1945, B-24 Liberator
From Year 1944
To Year 1945
Personal Memories
Not Specified
Image
B-24 Liberator Details
Aircraft/Missile Information
Specifications
Model Consolidated B-24J Liberator Length 67.16 ft | 20.47 m Width 110.01 ft | 33.53 m Height 18.01 ft | 5.49 m Engine(s) 4 x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-65 radial piston engines generating 1,200hp. Empty Weight 36,500 lbs | 16,556 kg MTOW 65,001 lbs | 29,484 kg Max Speed 290 mph | 467 km/h | 252 kts Max Range 2,001 miles | 3,220 km Ceiling 28,002 ft | 8,535 m | 5.3 miles Climb Rate 800 ft/min (243.84 m/min) Hardpoints 0 Armament 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in nose assembly. 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in tail assembly. 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in upper-fuselage turret. 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in under-fuselage assembly. 1 x 12.7mm machine gun in left-waist fuselage position. 1 x 12.7mm machine gun in right-waist fuselage position.
Up to 8,800lbs of internal bombs. Accommodations 10 Operators the United States of America and the United Kingdom.
* Model 31 - Flying Boat Model whose wing assembly would become the basis for the B-24 design. * Model 32 - Base B-24 Model Series Designation. * XB-24 - Initial Prototype Model Designation fitted with R-1830-33 radial piston engines generating 1,200hp. * YB-24 - Preproduction Model Designation * B-24A - Fitted with 2 x 7.62mm tail guns, 6 x 12.7mm machine guns in nose assembly, dorsal and waist gun positions. * B-24C - Fitted with turbocharged R-1830-41 engines; 8 x 12.7mm machine guns - nose (single gun), ventral, waist (left and right), dorsal turret (two guns) and tail turret (two guns). * B-24D - Based on the B-24C model but fitted with R-1830-43 engines; later models of this series would feature the twin 12.7mm ball turret gun assembly in the ventral fuselage position; self-sealing fuel tanks; 2,381 produced. * B-24E - Modified propeller systems; 801 produced. * B-24G - Fitted with R-1830-43 engines; powered nose turret with 2 x 12.7mm machine guns. * B-24H - Improved Model with extended nose section; 3,100 produced. * B-24J - Fitted with R-1830-65 engines; improved bombsight; autopilot functionality; 6,678 produced. * B-24L - Based on B-24J model but fitted with hand-operated tail guns; 1,667 produced. * B-24M - Based on B-24J model with lighter mounting for hand-operated tail gun; 2,593 produced. * XB-24Q - General Electric Conversion Model of B-24L model fitted with radio-controlled tail turret. * B-24Q - Final Production Model Designation * B-24Q * LB-30 - Transport Variant * C-87 - Air Force Transport Variant * RY - Navy Transport Variant * C-109 - Fuel Tanking Model * F-7 - Photographic Reconnaissance Model * PB4Y-1 - Patrol Bombing Model * PB4Y-2 - Specialized Model with single vertical tail surface assembly. * GR - British Maritime Reconnaissance Model.
