Announcement of JW Roundhill as "Special Honoree" at the D-Day at 75 event held on June 6th 2019 in Seattle (Courtesy Britevents Northwest)
Omaha Beach, Normandy, France
D-DAY AT 75: June 6 2019
MEMORIAL ROLL OF HONOR LISTING
OUR EVENT HONOREES WERE:
Trooper Louis H BAKER, British 1st Special Air Service
Jack BARDSLEY, Royal Air Force
Private Arthur BAXTER, The Gordon Highlanders
Herbert James BRAMLEY, British Army
PFC Edward (Ted) COLBURN, United States Army
QMS Charles (Alfred) GALLAGHER, British Army
CPO Albert (Bert) HARRIS, Royal Navy
Warrant Officer Thomas S.F. KING, Royal Air Force
Sgt Andrew LAZARUS, US Army Air Force
Kenneth L MORFORD, US Army Airborne
Sgt William READY, United States Army
Cpl Geoffrey ROBINSON, Royal Air Force
Cpl Lesley ROBINSON, British Army
Staff Sgt Joseph W ROUNDHILL, US Air Force*
Lance Cpl Reginald SIMCOX, British Army
Bertha STAPELY, Women's Royal Air Force
Robert WEEKS, United States Army
*Living Honoree and D-Day Operations participant
Honoring Staff Sgt Joseph W Roundhill
BACKGROUND
Joseph Warren Roundhill known as JW Roundhill (or Limey to his military compatriots) was born August 1st 1923 to English parents. The family moved back to England in 1933. JW joined the RAF in 1941 at a trainee pilot. He moved on to the US Air Force (being a dual national) and eventually became a waist gunner and toggler on Bombers.
D-DAY STORY
On "D" Day JW was a crewmember on a B-17 Bomber flying out of Kimbolton, Huntingdonshire.
England. That day his plane bombed the Conde Sur Noiuer crossroads and bridge leading to the beachhead. Because JW had enlisted with the USAF in England, he was a "float" or spare gunner. JW had been hanging around the Operations Room for several hours but had not been called up to a crew. Eventually, with 30 minutes notice, he was assigned to a crew which included a pilot only flying his second mission. Their mission was part of the second wave of bombings on the evening of June 6th and was to disrupt a key set of buildings, a bridge and roadways known as a "Choke Point". The destruction would disrupt the German counter offensive on the Allied forces moving inland. JW's bomber group would fired on by Berman artillery and one of his bunk mates, on another plane in the formation, was wounded.
FOLLOWING D-DAY
JW flew ten more missions over Western Europe during the rest of June and July 1944. Unknown to JW he had developed asthma and suffered a severe attack which left him hospitalized and did not see further action in the War. JW went on to work for Boeing for 33 years. His medals include the Distinguished Flying Cross and, in 2014, he received the French Legion D'Honneuer from the French Government. JW still lives in Seattle and has three sons, five grandchildren, twelve Great grandchildren, and one Great Great Grandchild.
READ MORE about JW at the American Air Museum in Britain website