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Note: Primary childhood residence; 209 Florence Ave, West Atlantic City Story from Atlantic City Press, 27 June, 1934 "Boy, 14, Saves 3 In Bay". Roland Driscoll Takes Boys from capsized Boat. West Atlantic City. How a 14 year old youth saved the lives of three Pleasantville boys from drowning in Lakes Bay late yesterday afternoon, was told by them today. The modest hero is Roland Driscoll, of this place, son of police Recorder of Egg Harbor Township, C. B. Driscoll. According to the lads who were rescued, John and Albert Magee, twin brothers, 14, sons of Policeman John Magee, of Pleasantville and William Wilson 14, also of that city, they were sailing about a mile offshore when a squall capsized their craft. For more than an hour, the three frightened boys clung to the boat, they said, until Driscoll, who had come down to the shore to make his boat fast at its moorings, saw them. Undaunted by the choppy waves and the high wind which swept the broad expanse of water, the lad doubled the reef in the sail of his Barnegat sneakbox and went to their rescue unaided. When the local boy reached the three youths in the water, one was suffering from cramps and the other two were numbed by cold. Driscoll tried to tow the capsized boat, but made little progress and cut it adrift. It was found washed on the shore by fisherman early this morning. 1937- Graduated Pleasantville High School, Employed by Atlantic City Electric Co. 1942- Jan. 2 Entered US Army Air Corp. Sent to Fort Meade, MD; Jefferson Barracks, MO; Missouri Aviation Institute (air mechanics school) Class 25 in 1942; First cadre at Topeka Air Field, Topeka, KS; Lincoln, NE, Joined Air Cadet program and attended University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo; San Antonio, TX, Was classified. as surplus pilot. Attended Laredo Gunnery school, TX. 1944- May, assigned to 8th Air Force, England, 389th Bomb Group, 564th squadron, Hethel, England. completed 35 combat missions as flight engineer on a B-24 Liberator. Affectionately known as "PAPPY" to his crew members. Memorable experience was flying at tree top level, dropping supplies to ground troops at Wesel. Known as the "Varsity Mission", he remembered looking up over the target area and saw a rooster atop a church steeple. Failing to make a proper run, they were forced to make a second approach, losing the element of surprise and making them a perfect target for small arms fire and flak. They lost #2 engine and were hit with small arms fire but succeeded in dropping the vital supplies. His B-24 limped home to England five times on three engines and were forced to land in France once. 1945- June 5, Honorably Discharged with the rank of Technical Sergeant. Received the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf clusters, two campaign Stars, a presidential unit Citation, and EAME Theater Ribbon. 1949 Graduated Pennsylvania State University, B.S. degree in poultry husbandry. Employed by Atlantic City Vocational School, teaching agriculture. Employed by Beacon Milling Company. Employed as a science teacher at the Ocean City Intermediate School, until he retired.
I thought I’d share another story about my Dad with all of you this Veterans Day. In the spring of 1945, My Dad had just completed thirty-five combat missions in a B-24 over Europe. He had stories of losing engines, landing gear that failed, having his turret canopy shattered by enemy fire and unfortunately, the loss of a crew member. My favorite story, however, is one that truly represents his personality.
My Dad and his fellow crew members had good reason to celebrate. They had completed their missions, the war was coming to an end and they along with my Dad would soon be heading home. While waiting, all personnel would be restricted to the base awaiting any available transport back to the United States, after one last night of “leave”. On Dad’s last night of “leave” he was celebrating in London with a few of his buddies. It was getting late and after putting down at least a few pints, my Dad started working his way back to the base.
While walking through a park belonging to His Royal Majesty, Dad had the urge to relieve himself of some of the beer he had consumed. As luck would have it, a “Bobby” patrolling the park observed him and placed him under arrest. The Bobby took my Dad into custody and escorted him to the local pokey, and the commanding officer was summoned to the police station to collect him.
When my Dad’s superior arrived the officer was lambasted by the Bobby, telling him the men under his command should “have more respect for the King’s property” and insisting that my Dad be punished for his behavior. The Bobby kept pushing the commander as to what punishment would be assigned. One can only imagine the self-control that my Dad’s commander must have shown at the time. After all, these Americans had just kept Nazi Germany from obliterating Great Britain.
The commander thought quickly and informed the Bobby that my Dad would be required to be on “mail duty” for the base until he was rotated back to the U.S. The Bobby was quite satisfied to hear of this assignment and released my Dad to his commander’s custody.
What the Bobby didn’t realize was that the commander was so upset with the British law enforcement’s attitude, that my Dad’s new “assignment” was actually a reward. Being placed on “Mail Duty” meant that my Dad had to travel to London daily with the base’s outgoing mail and also pick up any incoming mail. Such an errand required that, at times, he even had to stay in a London hotel overnight. So, while everyone else was confined to the base and lumpy barrack cots my Dad was “tasked” to travel back and forth to London until his rotation home.
I still have the summons written by the Bobby. It reads “arrested for urinating on the King’s property". Priceless.
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