Charles Frank Hess was born on October 22, 1922 to George and Carolina Hess who lived in Philadelphia.   When he was young, his parents purchased and moved their family a farm in New London, Pennsylvania, (south of Avon Grove and east of Oxford). Charles was one of 6 children: Kathryn, Maria, Frank, Gladys, William, and Charles.

He was born in Philadelphia but lived on the family farm in New London, PA with his family and Grandparents.

Charles mother, Carolyn, passed away when Charles was nine, and his grandmother, Paulina, whom they were caring for a month later.   His father, George passed away the following year.  The family farm was sold in 1934. Charles then went to live with his oldest sister, Kathryn Addison Hall, who had married and moved to Russellville, south of north of Oxford. (Paulina died a few months later.  Father George moved to CA where he died in 1950. 

Charles attended the Franklin School, (just south of Avon Grove in Franklin Township) 1^st to 8^th grades.  He then attended Oxford High School 1937-1938,which is located on 5^th St. in the town.  He transferred to the Avon Grove High School, graduating in the class of 1940. The Avon Grove High School was then located on State Rd. halfway between Avondale and West Grove where the Avon Grove Elementary school is today.

Charles was known as nice person with a deep faith, he attended the New London Presbyterian Church just south of the town on Rt. 896 (Newark Rd.).   He loved hunting, fishing, and any outdoor sports.  He enjoyed driving, and loved reading.

He exhibited vegetables he had grown on the farm at an Oxford Community Fair and won first and second places.

 Charles attempted to enlist in the Army Air Corps as a pilot after graduation from High School.  His eyesight was slightly off the strictly required 20/20 vision.  He then began a regimen of consuming large quantities of carrots to improve his marginal vision problem.

Charles enrolled and attended Lincoln University.  After his second year at Lincoln, he again attempted to enlist in Army Air Corps in late 1942.  He was accepted – the regimen of carrots did the trick.

Charles was sent to flight school in Albany Georgia in November 1942.  He then went to advanced flight school in Greenville, Mississippi in February 1943. Charles was then sent for Multi-engine training at George Army Air Field in Lawrenceville, Illinois, where he graduated and was commissioned a 2^nd Lieutenant   in April 1943. He was a B-17 Bomber Pilot.

Charles was then sent overseas to England to join the 8^th Airforce.  First Lieutenant Charles Hess served with the 613^th Bomber Squadron of the 401^st Bomber Group Heavy, based an airfield named Station 128, near Deenethorpe, Northamptonshire County, England

 

 

 

 

 Second Lt. Robert W. Rowe, Charles Bombardier and close friend wrote that Charles “…was the best damn bomber pilot that ever sat in a cockpit”. He also recalls Charles “…was good with his hands and spent a good deal of time making useful items out of junk cast off by the military.   He made a bed out of old shipping crates, ash trays out of old ammo casings and lights out of chunks of wood and bits of metal.”

 

 On Charles’s second mission they bombed Solingen Germany, in the industrial Rohr River Valley.  His B-17 was heavily damaged losing two engines (# 3 and # 4) on the same wing. The aircraft should not have made it back to England – he flew literally on a “wing and a prayer”. 

 

 

A crew member recounts the mission: 

“The crew reached the target and bombed, however, enemy opposition, both air and ground, caused the loss of No. 3 and No. 4 engines. Enroute home, flying at 2500 feet, the action of the ship made it seem almost impossible to cross the water and reach England. Lt Hess issued an order to the crew members to prepare to bail out. On checking with the crew again about ten minutes later he could not contact any of the Enlisted crew members by interphone. Going to the rear of the ship, the Copilot found that they had all bailed out. This occurred approximately 50 miles due east of Brussels, Belgium. The four officers remained with the ship and, in spite of terrific difficulty, successfully reached the English coast, landing at Manston.”

(Is it possible that the salvo of 1000 pounds of crew members made the difference in whether or not this ship would reach England?)”

Quoted from the 401^st Bomb Group Web site: www.401bg.com

Charles was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for this mission, and God received a thank you for answered prayer.

On June 12, 1944, Charles flew a mission against a German airfield in Vitry-en-Artois, France.  With the conclusion of this mission, he completed the then required 25 missions (later the requirement was increased to 35). Very few survived the 25 mission mark early in the war; 80 % of the bombers were shot down in the first 3 months of missions over Europe.  Indeed the B-17 named the “Memphis Belle” became a National Icon, when it was the first to complete 25 missions on May 17, 1944.  (Visitors see the “Memphis Belle” converted for the movie of the same name, at the Mid Atlantic Air Museum’s World War II Weekend held in early June each year.

 

Visit their web site for more information: http://www.maam.org/maamwwii.html)

Charles for surviving his 25^th mission was awarded an Oak Leaf Cluster for his Distinguished Flying Cross (Oak Leaf  Clusters were like a second DFC).

His citation reads: 

 “For extraordinary achievement while serving as a pilot of a B-17 airplane on a number of bombardment missions over enemy occupied Continental Europe.  Displaying great courage and skill Captain Hess has materially aided in the success of these missions and his actions are an inspiring example for fellow flyers.  The courage and skill displayed by Captain Hess on all these occasions reflect the highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.”

 Charles was ‘rotated’ home after completion of his tour.  He visited his family as well as Mr. and Mrs. Earl Wolf Jr. in Russellville in August 1944.  Family was very important to Charles.  While away, Charles frequently corresponded with family members, and sent birthday cards and letters to his nieces and nephews.

When Charles returned, he was assigned the newly formed 1^st Scouting Force (Experimental) which was based at Honington, England, following his former 401^st Operations Officer, Col. Allison C. Brooks.  This was an experimental concept of using a small force of P-51 Mustang fighters as mission scouts for bomber missions.  Charles was promoted to the rank of Captain.

Charles began training as a fighter pilot, a transition which could be difficult – similar to driving an 18 wheel tractor trailer then hopping into a hot sports car.

 

 

On October 24, 1944,Charles was in a P-51 Mustang for his checkout flight.  Immediately after takeoff, the engine started smoking and losing power.  He tried to regain control and turn around and land, but was loosing altitude.  His efforts to regain control were unsuccessful, but because of his effort to save the aircraft, he bailed out so low, his parachute did not have enough altitude to fully deploy.

 Captain Charles Francis Hess was buried at the Cambridge American Cemetery in England, with full military honors. He received the Purple Heart posthumously, as well as previously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Air Medal, with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters.

 

 

 Hugh C Morgan, principle of Avon Grove High school wrote to Charles’ sister Gladys upon hearing of his death.  In the letter he wrote:

 “…I watched with keen interest Charles’ dogged determination to get ahead in the Army….He was apparently showing the same determination to become a pilot that he had shown in high school in sticking to his job in the face of difficulties which would have hopelessly discouraged many boys.

 I had looked forward to the day when he would return and I could personally congratulate him and present him to the Avon Grove students.  Instead he becomes the first Gold Star on Avon Grove’s service flag.

 Time will heal your sorrow, Gladys, and you will always be proud to have had such a brother, one who was true to the best and who gave everything that he had.  I am proud too. To have known him and to be able to share in some measure your sorrow and your pride.

 His brother William served in the Army, his sister Gladys served in the Navy as a WAVE, in WWII.

His nephew, Richard, followed in his uncle’s footsteps and became a pilot in the United States Air Force obtaining the rank of Major.