Lloyd Abbott Remembered: Kept U.S. Bombers on Target in WWII
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[At best, the success of B-26 Marauder bomb runs between American air bases in North Africa and Nazi V-1 rocket launch sites deep in occupied France was tenuous. Low level altitude sneak attacks into France earned the medium range bombers the name "widow makers." Higher altitude attacks by the fast bombers-which had a range of 3,000 miles--and a 2000-pound bomb load were more successful.
"The bombers couldn't hardly leave our bases, drop their bombs and get back without running out of fuel," said Lloyd Abbott, 93, who spoke to this reporter in recent months before his passing earlier this week.
His death followed the passing of wife Earlene by only a month and two days.
Abbott's role during World War II was to maintain both the radios in those aircraft and the radio links along the way to help get our pilots to France and back to North Africa safely. It was all a build-up to D-Day and moving American fighters and bombers into bases in France as they became available.
Abbott was a staff sergeant and member of what back then was called the United States Air Corps, predecessor to the United States Air Force. The B-26s were part of the 320th Bombardment Group.
"I was drafted in 1941," Mr. Abbott remembered. He was from a large family of sisters and brothers. Others in his family served during the way.
"If I signed up for a full three years they gave me the choice of how I wanted to serve," he said. "I chose the Air Corps and went over to Scott Field to be a radio technician. I think I completed the course in 90 days. I went to Florida and after that went to North Africa for three years." He and wife Earlene were married on Christmas eve before he shipped out. Mr. Abbott was originally from Dowell and attended Elkville school. His wife worked in Du Quoin during his three-year overseas tour. "I was a ground man. I did maintenance on the radios in those B-26s," he said. "I never flew in them unless we were going from one place to another," he said.
"We had about 45 bombers at our base. At the end of the war we came back as a unit," he said. "I remember the announcement that the war was over, but I don't remember what I was doing."
"The one thing I do remember was General George Patton coming to our base," Mr. Abbott said. "He was a short man, but he was tough. I was able to stand next to him and pat him on the back," Mr. Abbott said, reaching out to show how close he was.
"He supported us."
He served in the campaigns of Tunisian, Sicilian, Naples, Foggia Rome, Arno, No Appennines, Southern France, and Air Combat of the Balkans. He had received the European African Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with one silver and two bronze Battle Stars, four Overseas Service Bars, one Service Stripe District Unit Badge with 1st Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster. He was a 50-year member of the American Legion, a member of the Elks and UMWA. Lloyd was a Mason and Shriner. He had been a member for over 50 years at the Elks Country Club.
Once honorably discharged, Mr. Abbott became a coal miner. "I worked at the New Kathleen mine until I guess it closed," he said. "We didn't have a lot to begin with, but I think I lived a charmed life."
Retirement allowed him to invest in properties and play golf, his first love.
The Abbotts were stewards of a great piece of Du Quoin's history, as well. They resided in the home near Keyes Park that was built by Chester A. Keyes, one of the town's founding fathers. So not only was he part of The Greatest Generation, he was fully linked to Du Quoin's first generation.
Graveside services will be at 11:00 a.m., Friday, December 2, 2011 at the Sunset Memorial Park at Du Quoin with Rev. Joe Wagner officiating.