Eye of Experience #27:
A Medal for Dad

World War II transformed many men and boys from all across the U.S. into heroes. Most of these heroes were never properly recognized for their bravery and contributions. Others were formally recognized decades later. One such young man was Jerry Stannard, who flew the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt over Europe as part of the 48th Fighter Group. One day in September 1944, he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. But he didn't receive it until 1993, almost 50 years later. Here's his story.

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Eye Of ExperienceJerome C. Stannard was one of the “quiet heroes” to survive thesecond world war. He completed 76 combat missions flying the Jug (the RepublicP-47 Thunderbolt) in the U.S. Army Air Corps (predecessor to the United StatesAir Force).


USAAC Cadet Stannard in 1943

When he returned home and separated from the Army – like manyothers – he never talked about his accomplishments while in the service of hiscountry, even to his son, Sean. However, Sean did learn about the 76 missionsand also learned that his father had been awarded the Distinguished FlyingCross, but had never received the medal itself, although he did have thecitation and the order awarding the medal.

By 1993 Jerry Stannard had retired from his position as a district managerfor the Michigan Bell Telephone Company, was widowed and living in Port St.Lucie, Fla. The second of his six sons, Dr. Sean Stannard, was a dentist livingin West Bloomfield, Mich. Without letting his father know that he was doingso, Dr. Stannard embarked on a campaign to see that his father received themedal to which he was entitled. This effort proved to be a monumental task.

After learning that many of the records had been destroyed in a fire at themilitary records warehouse in St. Louis, Dr. Sean Stannard wrote to then-SenatorConnie Mack of Florida:

Sean P. Stannard, D.D.S.
4000 Highland Rd.
Suite 105
Waterford, MI 48328
(313) XXX XXXX

June 9, 1993

Connie Mack, Senator
1342 Colonial Blvd.
Suite 27
Fort Meyers, FL 33907

RE: Jerome C. Stannard, 0-665224, Captain, AC, 48th Fighter Group

Dear Senator Mack and staff:

Please help our family. My father, Jerome C. Stannard, is a WW II Air Force pilot who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross as per the enclosed orders dated 11 Dec 1944. Due to the large-scale operations at the war’s end, my father left military service without ever receiving his medal. My mother very much wanted him to have this honor, yet she passed away recently.

I would like to follow up on this for my mother, my father and all six of his sons. Your assistance in this matter would mean so much to us, as we are unaware of any other avenue to follow.

Please call me at my office number listed above or my home telephone number is 313-XXX-XXXX if you have any further questions. We can get my father to any destination to receive his medal. At this time, my father is not aware that I am pursuing this matter.

If you do need to contact my father his telephone number is 407-XXX-XXXX and his address is XXX XXXXXXXX, Port St. Lucie, FL.

Sincerely,

Sean P. Stannard, D.D.S.

Enclosed with Sean’s letter was the following item:

R E S T R I C T E D

HEADQUARTERS
NINTH AIR FORCE

APO 696, U..S.Army

11 December 1944

GENERAL ORDERS

NUMBER………290

SECTION II AWARD OF THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS

Jerome C. Stannard, 0-671794, Captain, AC, 48th Fighter Group. For extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight against the enemy in the European Theater of Operations on 13 September 1944. While leading a flight in a group mission to bomb an important airfield in Germany, Capt. STANNARD assumed leadership of the group when the two senior flight leaders were forced to abandon the mission. Despite unfavorable weather conditions, the expert navigational skill displayed by Capt. STANNARD led the group directly to the target. In spite of the heavy anti-aircraft fire STANNARD led the attack upon the target and inflicted great damage upon the ground installations. The superior flying skill, courageous leadership, and determination displayed by Capt. STANNARD contributed in large measure to the success of the mission and reflect great credit upon himself and the Army Air Forces.


Capt. Jerome C. Stannard, 1993

This letter got the ball rolling, and after several miles of red tape, anduntold hours on the telephone, Sean finally wound up telling his story to acivilian clerk in the Army Records Office. Even though he had copies of thecitation and order awarding the medal, he was informed that for the records tobe released authorization would have to come from the veteran himself. Seanpromptly wrote, “To whom it may concern, for the purpose of military awardverification, I authorize full access to my military records,” and signedhis father’s name.

Sean asked if it would be possible to send the medal to him so he couldsurprise his father, and the nice lady then told Sean that she could send themedal anywhere she wanted to, and Sean requested that it be sent to his homeaddress.


Jerome Stannard with his P-47

Next, after another series of phone calls, Sean finally was in direct contactwith Col. Thomas R. Brown, 927th Air Refueling Group commander at Selfridge AirNational Guard Base who was delighted to arrange an impressive award ceremonyfor Sean’s dad, and what a ceremony it was! Dr. Sean Stannard’s policy had beento try to get to the top in whatever agency his was dealing with, and it reallypaid off in the case of Col. Brown.


Jerry gets his DFC from Col. Brown

After the ceremony at which the medal was awarded, Jerry and Sean wereinvited to the Officer’s Club to meet with present-day pilots for a question andanswer session. Sean had invited a group of family members to meet with Jerryand him for dinner and this meeting was cancelled so that Sean and Jerry couldaccept the Col’s invitation to the “O Club.” Then for several hoursJerry regaled the pilots with stories of how things were and his experiencesduring World War II.

All in all it was a very touching experience for both Jerome Stannard and hisson, Sean. After all these years Jerry finally received the medal that shouldhave been awarded to him way back in 1944, 49 years earlier. The Air Forceissued the following News Release regarding the event:

News Release

United States Air Force
927th Air Refueling Group, AFRES
Office of Public Affairs
43087 Lake Street
Selfridge ANGB, Mich 48045-5046

Release Number 93-15

September 25, 1993

WWII PILOT RECOGNIZED AFTER 49 YEARS

By Capt. Deborah L. Gill, USAFR 927th ARG Public Affairs Officer

SELFRIDGE ANGB, MICH.– It took a while – 49 years to be exact – but former Capt. Jerome C. Stannard finally received his official recognition for extraordinary aerial flight achievement during World War II. On Sept. 13, 1944, after two senior flight leaders were forced to abandon the mission, Stannard piloted a P-47 Thunderbolt, braved heavy anti-aircraft fire and led a successful group bombing mission over a German airfield.

On Thanksgiving Day, 1944, the captain from the 48th Fighter Group returned to the U.S., and in December, Army Air Forces Headquarters 9th Air Force issued the general order to award him the Distinguished Flying Cross. Stannard’s September achievement was just one of several exceptionally dangerous missions they considered recognizing.


Sean & Jerry Stannard, 1993

Upon return to the U. S., he served as a gunnery instructor at Galveston, Texas, until he separated from the service in September 1945, with 1,200 flying hours and 76 combat missions to his credit. His duty fulfilled, he returned to Michigan where he later retired from Michigan Bell Telephone Company after 37 years.

“With the moving, I didn’t give much thought to it,” 76-year-old Stannard said, of those sons referring to previously not receiving his award. And that’s how it was left through the years, as Stannard, now a resident of Port St. Lucie, Fla., and his wife, the former Patricia Adeil Brady, raised six sons.

In 1992 one of those sons, Dr. Seam Stannard, a West Bloomfield, Mich., resident, decided to see his father appropriately recognized. After many inquiries and much persistence, the son’s efforts were rewarded. “The medal came in the same day my father returned to Michigan,” he said, regarding the perfect timing of his father’s visit. Stannard’s son didn’t stop there, though. Medal in hand, he requested the assistance of the 927th Air Refueling Group at Selfridge ANGB, Mich., to arrange a presentation ceremony.


The Distinguished Flying Cross

On Sept. 22, the 927th ARG did just that. Col Thomas R. Brown, 927th ARG commander, presented the award and long overdue official recognition to Stannard during a ceremony to honor him.

Stannard said he was grateful to his son for his initiative and pleased to receive the award after so many years. “I didn’t think I’d be nervous, but I guess I am, a bit,” he said with good humor. “On that particular mission, there were flack towers, and it was like fireworks with everybody shooting at you,” he said. “We lost two men on the way back,” Stannard said somberly, referring to the casualties.

Talking about his P-47 aircraft, Stannard said, “That’s the reason I’m here – I flew the P-47, a very stout aircraft.” “But when the plane lost an engine, its glide path was zero,” he said good naturedly.

“That was a time of extreme peril where the very existence of the United States was on the line,” the 927th ARG commander said, thanking him for his service to the nation. “This country of ours owes a great debt to Capt. Stannard and those who served with him.”

Former Capt. Jerome C. Stannard was, as you can well imagine, extremely movedby what his son had don to gain him the recognition he so richly deserved.

Since the his father’s death, Sean Stannard has kept the medal, and thememories that accompany it.


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