IN ENGLAND
Cpl. Charles W. Emerson has arrived at an army air force base somewhere in England, according to word received by his wife and daughter at 1000 Seventh avenue. Cpl. Emerson is serving as a tail gunner on a Flying Fortress. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Anderson, the Ambassador Court apartments.
Source: The Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Friday, July 21, 1944, Page 6
Friend Writes Parents of Local Youth’s Heroism
Though suffering a broken right leg and arm and other less serious injuries, S. Sgt. Charles W. Emerson has come back to England to find himself “pretty much of a hero among boys,” was the text of a letter received by Sgt. Emerson’s wife this week from one of her husband’s crew members.
In the letter informing Mrs. Emerson that her husband had been wounded while on a bombing mission over Germany, the buddy whom Mrs. Emerson knows only as “Frank” said:
“We of the crew owe our lives to him. If it had not been for his alertness in the face of grave danger we might all have been gone.”
Pointing out that because of Sgt. Emerson’s wounds crew members were under the impression that he would be given a discharge upon recovering. Frank continued: “We’re proud of him – he got the German that nearly got us.”
Wearer of the air medal with three oak leaf clusters, S. Sgt. Emerson has been on 15 combat missions over enemy occupied territory.
In July he went overseas as a corporal, serving as a tail gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress. It was on Aug. 19 that he was awarded the air medal for meritorious achievement and was promoted to staff sergeant.
S. Sgt. Emerson has two brothers in the service, Seaman 1/c John F. Emerson, now home on leave from his position as gunner in the merchant marine, and Pvt. Harvey Emerson with the combat engineers in Germany.
Mrs. Charles Emerson is residing with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert LeBaugh, 1030 Sixth avenue. They are the sons of Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Emerson, the Ambassador apartments.
Source: The Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Iowa, Wednesday, September 27, 1944, Page 2
INJURED
S. Sgt. Charles W. Emerson, who has become a hero to his crew members because, as one of the men wrote his wife, “if it hadn’t been for him we might have all been gone.” The letter received by Mrs. Emerson revealed that her husband had suffered a broken right leg and arm plus other less serious injuries in the recent raid.
Sgt. Emerson, a veteran of 15 missions as a tail gunner, wears the air medal with three oak leaf clusters.
Source: The Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Thursday, September 28, 1944, Page 14
Plan Memorial at Presbyterian
A memorial service for S. Sgt. Charles W. Emerson of the army air forces, who died in England, Sept. 30 as a result of wounds received in action over Germany, will be held in the First Presbyterian church at 4 p. m. Sunday, Dr. C. Carson Bransby, pastor of the church, will conduct the services.
Sgt. Emerson is survived by his wife, Mrs. Varian L. Emerson, one daughter; Mary Jane; his father and mother, Mrs. and Mrs. C. J. Emerson, all of Council Bluffs; two brothers, John and Harvey, who are in the service of their country; and seven sisters, Mrs. Arthur Malcolm of Seattle, wash.; Mrs. George Armour, of Minneapolis, Minn.; Mrs. Robert Williams of Portland, Ore.; Mrs. Charles Armbruster of Los Angeles, Calif.; and Mrs. Kenneth Hubbard, Misses Mary and Christine Emerson of Chicago, Ill.
Source: The Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Friday, October 20, 1944, Page 7
Charles Waldo Emerson was born May 30, 1920 to Charles J. and Frances Catherine Keck Emerson. He died Sept. 30, 1944 and is buried in Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, England. Sgt. Emerson also has a cenotaph in Cedar Lawn Cemetery, Pottawattamie County, IA.
Sgt. Emerson served in World War II with the U.S. Army Air Corps 418th Bomb Squadron, 100th Bomb Group, Heavy and was awarded the Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters.
Source: ancestry.com; abmc.gov
