Hometown Heroes
2nd Lt. Desire Massicotte USAF
By Michael Rocchetti
The war was over, but military occupation duties were keeping U.S. forces busy in Europe and the Far East. On Dec. 10, 1945, a B-17G Flying Fortress bomber (tail # 43-39236) nicknamed the “Blinkin’ Betsy” took off from RAF Grafton Underwood in the UK, carrying passengers on a flight to Orly Field in Paris. Unable to land due to weather, they were diverted to Lyon. The plane never made it. At 1815 hours on a cold, dark, foggy, overcast, evening the plane crashed into a hill at a place called Saint Andre la Cote, 16 miles SW of Lyon. There were 8 men aboard the plane – but only three of them survived the crash. Sadly, Desire Massicotte was not one of the survivors.
Desire Massicotte was an insurance agent from Putnam who volunteered for service with the U.S. Army Air Corps. He was assigned to the 546th Bombardment Squadron, 384th Bombardment Group (Heavy) in the 8Th Air Force. He was the navigator on a B-17 bomber the “Blinkin’ Betsy”, based at RAF Grafton Underwood. He had flown numerous combat missions including the very last bombing mission flown by the 8th Air Force in Europe during WWII which targeted the vast Skoda armaments works at Pilsen, Czechoslovakia. He was only 29 years old when he died. He was born May 21, 1916, in Putnam, the son of Alfred and Alma Massicotte. In addition to his parents, he was survived by his wife Rita (Crawford) Massicotte, their daughter Adele, and a brother Labby. He is buried at Plot A, Row 8, Grave: 3 at the Rhone American Cemetery in France. The following articles were written about him in the local newspapers:
Putnam Patriot, February 21, 1946: “Letter Received By Wife; Details Of Accident Given: A communication received from Lt Col Lloyd D. Chapman. Air Corps commander, by Mrs. Rita Massicotte of 106 Woodstock Avenue contains some of the details connected with the death of her husband, Lt. Desire L. Massicotte, on December 10th, 1945. The letter, dated January 18th from APO 125. U S. Army, reads as follows: Dear Mrs. Massicotte: You have received official notification from the Adjutant General about the death of your husband. Lt. Desire L. Massicotte, who was killed in a plane crash on December 10th, 1945. As his commanding officer, I am in a position to give you more details of the accident and at this time I want to express my deep sorrow that so unfortunate an accident occurred, especially in peace time when we are so anxious to return home and leave behind the discomforts and unpleasantness associated with war. Your husband was flying as navigator on that flight, which left on the morning of the tenth. First the plane landed at Le Havre and then took off for Paris, where two passengers were to get off. The field at Paris was closed in and the plane was directed to Lyon to remain overnight. As they were approaching Lyon’s airfield for a landing, the plane crashed into the side of a hill about 150 feet from the top. The accident happened shortly after 5:00 o’clock that afternoon. Your husband and four others were killed instantly. He was up front in the navigator’s seat at the time and we are absolutely sure from the medical report that he never knew what happened. Three of the eight men in the plane lived but sustained serious injuries. On Thursday, December 13th, we held a very beautiful funeral at the Luynes National Cemetery, about six miles south of Aix, France. The Catholic chaplain, Father Sullivan, who has been with the squadron for quite some time, officiated at the ceremony. The men of the squadron brought several wreaths of beautiful autumn flowers and our photographer took pictures of the ceremony, which will be forwarded to you. Your husband was a very capable navigator for the 546th Squadron, and I can assure you he had done a splendid job in every respect and was very well liked and admired by his associates. Again, I wish to extend my deepest sympathy and offer my sincere condolences to you and his entire family. LLOYD D. CHAPMAN, Lt. Col, Air Corps Commanding.”
Hometown Heroes is a series published in the Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger with this mission: We owe it to our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines to make sure that they are never forgotten, and that the memory of their service and sacrifice will forever live on in the hearts and minds of the grateful people of Putnam.
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Unbelievable!
We're starting our 33rd year --- memoralizing our lives in scrapbooks and stuck on refrigerators and gracing coffeetables. And none of thiswould have happened without the support of fellow small businesses and readers.
Thank you!
Linda Lemmon, editor-publisher
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Driving the Stutz is exhilarating
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
WOODSTOCK — Imagine a job that was exhilarating on day one — and still is more than 30 years later.
That’s the joy felt by Phil Mahoney who drives the famous 100-year-old-this-year Stutz fire truck for the Woodstock Volunteer Fire Association (WFVA).
Manufactured in 1925 the Stutz first went to Harrington Park, N.J. and then, in 1937, to William Prym Inc. in Dayville. Mahoney said from the ‘60s to the ‘80s the Stutz sat in a Prym boiler room. When Prym closed the Stutz was donated to WFVA.
Mahoney had joined the MFVA around 1982-83 and started driving the Stutz in the early 1990s. He’s put over a 1,000 miles on it, averaging 100 miles a year with events, fairs, parades, etc. (The odometer says 3,400).
When they got it running in the early ‘90s, he was asked if he’d like to drive it. “I said, ‘Are you kidding? Where else am I going to get a chance to drive a Stutz’?”
In 2001 he tore it down to the bare frame, he said. Every nut and bolt. He took off the fenders and had them repainted. Pin striping and gold leafed went on (it took six books of gold leaf). The gentleman who did the golf leafing was 81 years old and a real craftsman, Mahoney said The tiny, evenly spaced swirls in the gold leaf lines were done by hand. “He did this using his thumb,” Mahoney said. It took a year to take it apart and put it back together.
In 1925 the manufacturer made only two of this particular model.
Part of the exhilaration was ‘You’re up taller than everything else. No windshield, no seatbelts,” he said. It was exhilarating the first time and every time after that. “I’m a little more cautious because it’s 100 years old, but it’s still exhilarating,” he said.
The Stutz — and its white-bearded driver Mahoney — were part of the Hallmark movie “One Royal Christmas.” The Christmas movie was filmed during a blast-furnace hot July a few years ago.
“I was amazed that they would even ask,” he said. “I was a little surprised that they wanted it (the Stutz).” Filming the nighttime Christmas parade was done over two nights, he said. “I have about 15 seconds of fame.” One night the filming ran from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. and the next time filming was from 1 to 5 a.m. Watching the sun rise that second night was “surreal. It’s 5 a.m. and I’m driving the truck home. And it started raining.” he said. “I was enthralled. I didn’t even take pictures.”
“That was a whole new chapter in my life that I never expected,” he added.
Something to check out the next time you watch “One Royal Christmas” — there’s one shot in the movie where they filmed the Christmas tree in the back of the fire engine and they did not blur out or remove “Woodstock Volunteer Fire Association” from the back of the truck, just above the bumper. “I got goosebumps,” he said, seeing the Woodstock Volunteer Fire Association on the back.
Mahoney and the Stutz get some excitement into the kids. “I love seeing the looks on kids’ faces — how excited they get.” It’s a draw for future firefighters.” There’ve been young man who’ve joined the fire association and they’ve said to me ‘I used to come see you before so (attracting future firefighters) is already happening.” Perhaps they will be the next generation of Stutz drivers.
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caption:
Phil Mahoney at the wheel of the 100-year-old Stutz fire truck. More photos of Mahoney, the Stutz and the Touch-a-Truck event in Woodstock on page 4. Expanded photo array on our FB page Wed. night. Linda Lemmon photo.
The following charges were listed in the Putnam Police Department logs. The people charged are innocent until proven guilty in court. The Town Crier will publish dispositions of cases at the request of the accused. The dispositions must be accompanied by the proper documentation. The Putnam Police Department confidential Tip Line is 860-963-0000.
June 30
Jeffery Mylen, 40, homeless, Putnam; sixth-degree larceny.
Alex Michael Young, 31, Centennial Street, Putnam; disorderly conduct.
July 1
Jennifer Kotarba, 39, Sabin Street, Putnam; failure to keep narcotics in original container, possession of controlled substance, 1st offense.
July 2
Joseph Asher James, 41, School Street, Putnam; violation standing criminal protective order.
July 3
Harley Davidson, 31, homeless, Putnam; sixth-degree larceny, violation of probation, possession of controlled substance, 1st offense.
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