My 60 yr. High School class reunion
Bill Becker
truly is driving up to attend. Leaving Daytona on Tue.
Some of you may remember that my next older brother
was KIA in WW II. My dad's older brother, Theodore
Becker, was a very talented amature oil painter and he
painted a portrait of brother Tom that my mother had in
a prominent place in her living room for all her remaining
years (See photo of portrait at:
http://groups.msn.com/FrontPorch/billbspictures.msnw?action-ShowPhoto&PhotoID=466) .
I have had this
painting hanging above my 'puter monitor for the last
several years. The other day it occured to me that there
was no sure future for it and I thought, "I wonder if
Medina High School would have a place to display a
portrait of a former student leader who lost his life in
WW II ?" I phoned the current High School Principal
and asked him that question and his reply was; "Heck
Yes, We would love to have it." so I am going to carry
it up to Medina when I go to the reunion next week.
I had a brass plate made to go on the bottom of the
frame that says: Thomas Barret Becker, 7 Feb. 1925,
KIA 19 Mar. 1945. Class of 1943; Pres. Football
quarterback, 1942.
I have written a brief bio on Tom that will be taped to
the back of the portrait and reads:
Tom Becker
Thomas Barret Becker was born on 7 February 1925 in Silver Creek, NY (on
Lake Erie, South of Buffalo), the second of three sons born there to George
Becker, Sr.,
and his wife, Elizabeth (Betty) Ford [Barret] Becker (both natives of
Kentucky). Thomas
was named after his maternal grandfather, Thomas Barret of Henderson, KY.
In 1933 Mr. Becker was transferred by the H.J. Heinz Co. (his employer for
42
years) to their plant in Medina, N.Y. as executive in charge of the "Growers
Service"
department. The Becker family reisided in their home bought in 1933 at 814
Gwinn Street
(on NW corner with W. Oak Orchard St.). The three boys [George, Jr.; Tom;
and William
(Bill)] all attended Oak Orchard Elementary School on West Oak Orchard St.,
half a block
east of West Avenue. That was a two story red sandstone building with
classes through
the sixth grade (6th Grade taught by Principal, Mr. Town). The boys went on
to Junior
High and High School at the Medina High School building then located at
Pearl Street.
George, Jr., graduated from High School with class of '41 and went on to
Cornell. He left
Cornell during WW II and served as an artillery Sergeant in the 10th
Mountain Division
in Italy where he was awarded a Bronze Star for Valor. He returned to
Cornell after
the war to graduate with a degree in Agriculture Science. Tom graduated with
class of
'43 (more on this below). Bill was in the class of '44 and entered the U.S.
Navy in June
'44 and served 'til July '46 when he was discharged as a RadioMan Third
Class. He
then attended Clarkson Univ. in Potsdam, N.Y., where he earned a BBA in '50.
Tom Becker was a good student and active athelete in many sports during his
years at Medina High School. This was climaxed by his service in his Senior
Year
('42-'43) as Class President and being quarterback of the football team the
Fall of '42.
He played the trumpet and Sousaphone in the High School Band and Orchestra.
Tom was active in Boy Scouts throughout his teen years with Troop 31 at the
First
Presbyterian Church where he became an Eagle Scout and served as Assistant
Scoutmaster just before leaving to enter U.S. Army Air Corps in June 1944.
Tom started active duty with the U.S. Army Air Corps as an Officer Cadet in
June, 1944. After extensive training he was commissioned as a Flight
Officer,
Navigator, and was assigned to a B-24 bomber that was sent for combat basing
in India.
The crew flew their plane to S. America, across the Atlantic and N. Africa
to a forward
base in eastern India. While stationed there, Tom was promoted from rank of
Flight
Officer to Second Lieutenant. On his ninth combat mission on 19 March 1945,
Tom's
plane was assigned a low level bombing operation directed against bridges on
the Kra
Peninsula (northern end of the Malay Peninsula and today is the Southern
part of
Thailand) in South East Asia. The plane was met by small arms anti-aircraft
fire at the
target and one bullet went through Tom's plane and, while doing so, hit Tom
in the
intestinal area. He bled to death before the plane could get back to India.
Doctors
opined that even immediate medical attention could probably not have saved
Tom's
life. Minimal damage was done to the B-24 and no other crewman was injured.
Tom was Killed In Action just forty days after his 20th birthday.
Tom was originaly buried in a U.S. Military Cemetary near Calcutta, India.
His casket was returned to the United States after the war and he was
re-buried
in a National Cemetary near Louisville, KY (his father's boyhood home town).
--
BillB (FL)
Bette
>From: "Bill Becker"
>Leaving Daytona on Tue.
>Some of you may remember that my next older brother
>was KIA in WW II.
Bill, you are doing a nice thing. Quite a tribute to your Brother.
Have a safe trip and enjoy the re-union and all the memories. Bette
Bobbie
What a wonderful gesture Bill, and tribute to Tom.....
Have a wonderful reunion and a grand Picture hanging in honour and
memory of Tom.....
Bobbie:-)
DittyDu...@webtv.net
didn't go to my class's 60'th, last year. I think it turned out to be
two tables in a restaurant. Blake
----------------------
Bill Becker
near Syracuse on my return trip. Am really looking
forward to that visit too. They will be back from their
trip to Arkansas by then and are expecting me.
BillB (FL)
<DittyDu...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:27675-40B...@storefull-3116.bay.webtv.net...
Faye Ray
students of your old High School. faye
"Bill Becker" <BillB...@Hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:2hc4c1F...@uni-berlin.de...
Marian
have been a devastating loss for the whole community, as well as for your
family. It must have hit you very hard as well, Bill, as close in age as you
were. What a beautiful young man he must have been, and just barely 20 years
old! Thank you for sharing this heartbreaking story with us, Bill, and for
finding an appropriate tribute to his memory...
Marian<a Kentuckian>
*************************************************
Ceding the moral high ground...
http://www.PictureTrail.com/gid2278054
**************************************************
Janie
paying for it now with many physical problems. The cargo plane he was in
crashed over New Zealand. Dad hurt his back really bad and suffers to this
day. Dad dropped out of high school to join up. Recently, he was give an
honorary high school diploma and received a medal from the army for his part
in the War.
Life was not kind to my Dad. He had a family of three kids to feed but could
not get a good job because of his lack of schooling. He finally took a job
with a veterans administration cleaning boiler and then he was up to Master
plumber.
What a toll this has taken on my Dad but he never, ever complains.
Janie
pijoe
My Dad was a WWII vet also. Feet froze in Belgium during the Bulge. Medical tent
blew up, records were lost. Took him years with the VA to get compensation, but
he finally did. He died in 1992, ironically on my eldest sons birthday. He so
loved his grandson. I miss him still. He never got to see his other grandson,
born four years later. But I think somehow he sees him.
Bill--my good wishes to you.
Toddy
I am sure the school will be delighted to have such a record of an 'old boy'
who served his country beyond the call of duty.
It will be somewhat emotional I expect, but you'll be proud to have done it.
Hugs
Toddy
"Bill Becker" <BillB...@Hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:2hc4c1F...@uni-berlin.de...
Jean B.
about your brother.
Hugs,
Jean B.