George H. Simpson Jr.
Sergeant George H. Simpson Jr., 442nd Troop Carrier Group, U.S. Army Air Forces
Sergeant George H. Simpson, 22, of 2821 Garfield Avenue in the Cramer Hill section of Camden, NJ, died in an airplane collision near Rance, Belgium on November 30, 1944. Simpson was born on March 28, 1923, the son of George L. and Cecelia Simpson. The elder Simpson had been a house painter.
George Simpson Jr. had been a student at St. Joseph’s Catholic School on Westfield Avenue, Cramer Junior High School, and Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden, and had worked at the Mathis Shipyard there prior to his induction into the Army in April of 1943. His father, George L. Simpson, passed away in that year. After qualifying for flight duty, George Simpson was assigned to the 442nd Troop Carrier Group, which operated C-47 and C-53 transport planes.
442nd Troop Carrier Group
The 442nd was stationed at the following bases while in the United States. From September 1, 1943 until December of 1943, the Group based at the Sedalia Army Air Field, Sedalia, MO, before spending a month at Alliance Army Air Field in Alliance, NE. The 442nd moved to Pope Field, NC in January of 1944. The Group spent a week at Baer Field, IN in the first week of March before going overseas.
Sergeant Simpson went overseas, arriving in England on March 29, 1944. Serving with the 442nd Troop Carrier Group, he was first stationed at Fulbeck, Lincolnshire, England. The Group continued to train with C-47s and C-53 transports. On June 6, 1944, the 442nd flew its first missions during the invasion of the Continent, dropping paratroops near Ste. Mère-Église on D-Day and flying a re-supply mission on June 7th, being awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for its part in the Normandy invasion. On June 12, the Group relocated to a base at Weston Zoyland, Somerset. The remainder of the summer was spent hauling freight and evacuating casualties. In July, however, a detachment flew to Italy where it transported cargo, evacuated casualties, and took part in dropping paratroops in the battle area and releasing gliders carrying reinforcements. The detachment returned to England late in August, and in September the Group took part in the airborne attack in Holland by transporting paratroops and towing gliders with reinforcements. They relocated again, this time to a base at Bonnetable, France, on October 5th, flying re-supply missions, hauling freight, and evacuating casualties in support of the Allied effort to breach the Siegfried Line. Sergeant Simpson was based here when he met his end.
George Simpson was survived by his mother, Mrs. Cecelia Simpson; a brother, Joseph; and three sisters, Madeline, Mrs. Mary Floy, and Mrs. Cecelia Poreda. He was brought home to New Jersey in the spring of 1949 and buried at Calvary Cemetery in Delaware Township (present-day Cherry Hill), NJ on April 9th of that year, where he lies next to his parents and a brother, Leo, who had preceded him in death.
George Simpson’s brother Joseph G. Simpson served as a member of the Camden Fire Department for 25 years, from May 1, 1957 through April 30, 1982.
Memorial for Sergeant George H. Simpson Jr.
Funeral Set Saturday For Sgt. Simpson
Camden Courier-Post —
High requiem Mass for Sgt. George H. Simpson will be celebrated Saturday at 9:30 a.m. in St. Anthony of Padua R.C. Church. Relatives and friends will meet at 8:30 a.m. in the funeral home at 804-06 North Twenty-seventh street, where friends may call tomorrow night. Burial will be in Calvary cemetery.
Military rites will be conducted by Cpl. Mathews-Purnell post 518, VFW, and Anthony C. Shuvlin post 886, Catholic War Veterans.
Sergeant Simpson was killed in an airplane collision in the vicinity of Rance, Belgium, Nov. 30, 1944, at the age of 22. He entered the army in April, 1943, and went overseas in March, 1944. Born in the Cramer Hill section of Camden, he attended St. Joseph’s parochial school, Twenty-ninth street and Westfield avenue, and the Cramer Junior High school. He was employed at the Mathis shipyard.
Surviving are his mother, Mrs. Cecelia Simpson, 2821 Garfield avenue; three sisters, Mrs. Stanley Poreda and Mrs. Raymond Floy, both of Camden, and Mary, at home, and a brother, Joseph, at home.