Frederick E. Benoit Jr.
Rank: Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Force
Serial: 12049021
Unit: 1343rd Army Air Force Base Unit, Air Transport Command
Entered service from: New Jersey
Died:
Awards: Air Medal
Buried: Lakeview Memorial Cemetery, Cinnaminson, New Jersey
Biography
Sergeant Frederick E. Benoit Jr.
Sergeant Frederick E. Benoit Jr. was born on July 8, 1923, to Frederick E. and Ruth A. Benoit. His father managed a store for a retail chain. His early years were spent in Riverside, New Jersey, where his parents lived at 500 Delaware Avenue. His grandparents, Otto and Sophia Benoit, lived at 502 Delaware Avenue. He graduated from Palmyra High School, where he was a noted athlete and the South Jersey High School Group 3 champion in the one-mile run. His parents subsequently moved to 123 7th Avenue in Haddon Heights, New Jersey.
Frederick Benoit enlisted in the United States Army in July of 1942. Qualifying for flight duty, he trained as a radio operator. While stationed at Gowen Field in Idaho, he became the Golden Gloves welterweight boxing champion, known in boxing circles as “Buzzsaw” Benoit.
Sergeant Benoit was assigned to the Air Transport Command in India, charged with airlifting supplies from India to the Chinese military by flying over the Himalayan Mountains. He flew 35 missions as a radio operator and gunner and had been awarded the Air Medal. His unit had been awarded a Presidential Unit Citation.
Frederick Benoit was killed when his plane was involved in a mid-air collision near Singching, China. He was 21 years old at the time of his death. He was survived by his parents, a brother, Robert, a sister, Helene, and his paternal grandparents.
After the war, Frederick Benoit was brought home. He rests at Lakeview Memorial Cemetery in Cinnaminson, New Jersey, with other family members, where he was buried on October 28, 1947. Six of his uncles, all ex-servicemen, served as his pallbearers.
Photos
Grave of Frederick E. Benoit Jr., Lakeview Memorial Cemetery, Cinnaminson, New Jersey
Services Tomorrow For Sgt. Benoit
Camden Courier-Post —
Services for Sgt. Frederick E. Benoit Jr. 21, who was killed in 1944 during a bombing raid on an Army airfield at Singching, China, will be held tomorrow at 1 p.m. in Foster’s funeral home, 250 White Horse pike, Audubon. Burial will be in Lakeview Memorial park.
A former resident of Haddon Heights, he lived with his parents in Franklinville. His body was one of the soldier dead returned for burial in the United States. He was a former student in Palmyra High school. He was a member of the Army Transport Command and had flown 35 missions over the “Hump” when he was killed.
In addition to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frederick E. Benoit Sr., he is survived by a brother, Robert; a sister, Helene, and his grandmother, Mrs. Sophie Benoit, Delanco.
6 Uncles Carry War Hero to Grave
Camden Courier-Post —
Six uncles, all war veterans, acted as pallbearers yesterday at the funeral of Sgt. Frederick E. Benoit Jr. of Franklinville, formerly of Haddon Heights. The uncles are, left to right, the Taylor brothers, Louis, William, Edmond, Irving, Nelson and Allen. Behind them is John N. Swartz, a member of the Foster funeral home staff, 250 White Horse pike, Audubon.
Sergeant Benoit, a radio gunner, flew 35 missions over “The Hump.” He was killed in Singching, China, Oct. 10, 1944. His body was one of those returned from the Pacific area and reached Audubon Friday. He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frederick E. Benoit Sr.; a brother, Robert; a sister, Helene, and his grandmother, Mrs. Sophie Benoit, Delanco.