Chester John Mullet
Staff Sergeant
353rd Bombardment Squadron - 301st Bomb Group - 15th Air Force
The Flying Fortress
Drilling and training in the dry heat of Arizona took some acclimatization for the many fresh airmen, especially those from the Midwest. Yet such conditions did not distract the blue-eyed Ohio-native, Chester Mullet, who proudly made his grade as a Sergeant on Kingsman Field, receiving a gunner qualification badge on March 13th, 1944. The former farmhand was ready to fly, though he of course missed his wife, Sarah Wirt, who he’d just married in 1942. Within a year of their marriage, the aspiring aviator had left his job at U.S. Fabricators for the Army Air Corps, answering the nations call.
The beautiful Mediterranean and hillsides of Southern Italy greeted the 6’ American Sergeant as he arrived at his posting in Lucera (1). This Italian town with its ancient crumbling fortress had just become home to the 353rd Bombardment Squadron that fall, it’s airstrip being filled with the modern B-17, which was aptly named the “flying fortress" (1).Such a plane necessitated 10 crewmembers, 23-year-old Chester becoming one of several gunners tasked with defending the sleek aircraft, which despite it’s appearance was anything but invulnerable. This hard truth helped drive the crews together into a close brotherhood, a dynamic Chester no doubt took to well, having learned to adjust to such a structure with his siblings during his boyhood following the tragic loss of their parents in the 1920s.
On December 17th, 1944 the green Sergeant took position at his gun, the giant metal craft cutting it’s way through the sky towards the targeted Blechhammer Oil Refineries in Germany. Despite the inevitable flak fire, it was a successful operation, the first of many raids to come for Chester as he served with the 301st Bombardment Group (2). By February 12th, 1945, the airman had flown 10 missions, receiving an air medal for the achievement and reaching the status of a true veteran (2). Shortly after on the 25th, the now experienced gunner mounted up again for another key raid on Germany, this one targeting an aircraft production facility in Regensburg (3). This objective was especially well defended, German fighters attacking the Group, though they pressed on and delivered the payload regardless, exacting revenge on the facilities of the Luftwaffe (3). Their tenacity in carrying out this mission earning the 301st a unit citation (3). Chester continued flying missions after this, going on to receive a further air medal in March and reaching the required number of raids (2). The young Ohio native had been incredibly lucky, thousands of fellow airmen being killed on the same raids he had survived, their sacrifices helping to destroy Germany's military industry.
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Following his discharge in the fall of 1945, the well-tanned gunner returned to Coshocton, Ohio to his beloved wife and newborn son. Shortly after, the family was blessed with a daughter, Charles integrating back into civilian life. Yet despite his desire to provide a childhood to his kids which he had been denied, he was sadly struck with a terrible medical condition. Tragically, he would pass away in 1948 at the age of 27, leaving behind a legacy of heroism in which his children could take pride.
Sources:
(1) Albert F. Simposon Historical Research Center and Office of Air Force History Headquarters USAF. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War Two, 1982. https://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf
(2) “Chester Mullet.” 301BG, Army Air Corps Museum, 2020, www.301bg.com/Mullet_Chester_M6035_301BG.cfm.
(3) Haren, Martijn van. 301st Bomber Group, www.facesbeyondthegraves.com/301st%20bomber%20group.html.
(1) Albert F. Simposon Historical Research Center and Office of Air Force History Headquarters USAF. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War Two, 1982. https://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf
(2) “Chester Mullet.” 301BG, Army Air Corps Museum, 2020, www.301bg.com/Mullet_Chester_M6035_301BG.cfm.
(3) Haren, Martijn van. 301st Bomber Group, www.facesbeyondthegraves.com/301st%20bomber%20group.html.