Home > WWII VETERANS >

Shatts, Garvin
Garvin P Shatts U.S. Army Air Corps WWII
Garvin P Shatts U.S. Army Air Corps WWII
  
Alternative Views:
NextRecord
Date of Birth: 4/21/1922
Died On: 9/27/1989
Street Address: 723 Boston Post Road
Service Number: 14555A
Branch of Service: U.S. Army Air Corps - 397th Bomber Group


Veteran Code: USAAC-148


BIOGRAPHY Extended Information
 
Garvin Phillip Shatts

Garvin Phillip Shatts was born on April 21, 1922, in New Haven, Connecticut, to Gladys Alfreda Garvin, age 31, and Walter Phillip Shatts, age 35. He had one brother Oliver and three sisters Sylvia, Christine and Marion. In Rye his family lived at 723 Boston Post Road.

Garvin was a Rye High School Graduate, Class of 1940. In high school he was a member of the National Honor Society belonged to various clubs, played in the dance band and also participated in track and basketball.

He served as an officer in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He enlisted in July 3, 1941, after having studied for two years at Oberlin College.

Garvin was commissioned a second lieutenant and received his silver wings at graduation exercises held at Freeman Army Air Field, Ind. He was a bomber pilot and underwent his primary training at Maxwell Field, Ala. He then attended Operational School at Avon Park, Fla. .

He served approximately one year over seas as a pilot with the 397th Bomber Group of the Ninth Air Force in the European Theater of Operations.

The 397th Bombardment Group, was a World War II United States Army Air Forces combat organization. It deployed to Western Europe with Ninth Air Force as a medium bombardment unit equipped with Martin B-26 Marauders.

The 397th struck the enemy's communications during the Battle of the Bulge (December 1944 – January 1945) and received a Distinguished Unit Citation for a mission on 23 December 1944 when the group withstood heavy flak and fighter attack to sever a railway bridge at Eller, a vital link in the enemy's supply line across the Moselle.

The group continued to support the Allied drive into Germany until April 1945, being stationed at Venlo, the Netherlands (Y-55) on VE-Day. It returned to the United States during December 1945 – January 1946, being inactivated at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey on 6 January 1946.

Garvin completed 63 missions and returned with his group to the United States in January, 1946. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his service.



Garvin married Janet Eileen Davisson on February 23, 1945, in Washington. They had three children during their marriage.

He would continue his service after the war and rise to the rank of Lt. Colonel. For three years Garvin served as assistant air attaché for the U.S. Embassy in Paris (Read Story). He would retire from the air force on January 31, 1963 after over 20 years of service.


Garvin Phillip Shatts died on September 27, 1989, in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the age of 67, and was buried in Los Angeles, California.
Links to this Veterans History

Share your knowledge of this product. Be the first to write a review »