Grandson Made It Happen––

Two WWII Bomber Gunners Reunited After 58 Years

By Dottie Evans

Joseph J. Sileo, who celebrated his 80th birthday on November 4, is a father of four and grandfather. Although he and his wife Julia see family often, there is one important piece of his past history that he has been reluctant to talk about –– namely his service in World War II as a gunner on a B-17 bomber.

In July of 1944, when the United States was sending troops and munitions across the Atlantic to fight alongside the British, Sergeant Sileo served in the 8th Air Force, 303rd Bomb Group, 427th Bomb Squadron, stationed in Molesworth, England. He flew 33 missions over France, Germany, and the Netherlands, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Yet, his four children and his grandchildren knew very little about his wartime experiences.

“He never really talked about the war, not even to mom,” said his daughter Lorrie Sileo Jones, speaking from the living room of her home off Great Hill Road in Newtown.

“We only heard bits and pieces. It just seemed he wanted to move on with his life and put those days behind him,” she added.

Sitting next to Mrs Jones was her husband, Ron Jones, her daughter, Amy Treadwell, 21, and her son, Gary Treadwell, 23. It was Gary, she said, who was always asking the most questions, and who recently took the initiative to try to unlock stories from his grandfather’s past.

“The bond between the two of them was nearly instantaneous. Ever since Gary was born, they have spent many hours together, and my father’s eyes would always light up when he was with Gary.

“All his grandchildren think he’s pretty special,” Mrs Jones added.

Mrs Jones and her mother, Julia Deneve Sileo, had recently uncovered some letters that Mr Sileo had written to his mother from overseas in 1944 and 1945.

“They were all about the food, about doing the laundry, and about the people he met while he was over there,” she said.

The letters mentioned one special friend, a certain James W. Turner, who was a tail gunner serving alongside Sergeant Sileo on the B-17G bomber “Sweet Rose O’ Grady.” It seemed that Sergeant Turner was also a Connecticut resident.

 As always, these details piqued the family’s interest and need to know more. Gary Treadwell was determined to gather more information.

“I had found a picture of his bomber plane on the Internet, and ordered the painting to give him as a gift,” said Gary.

“That led to a source of information about his nine-man bomber group, and I decided to continue my Internet search to see if there were any names of others who had served with him.”

He located a website listing all the names of squadron members, living, dead, or fate unknown, and noticed that James W. Turner was one of a very few who were still living.

“I was determined to find him and, if possible, get them back together,” said Gary.

He was able to locate a James Turner on the Internet who was living in the area, in Manhassett, Long Island, N.Y.

“I called him on the telephone, and told him who I was and why I wanted to get in touch with him, that I hoped he was my grandfather’s old friend. As soon as he heard my grandfather’s name, he said ‘Joe Sileo?? Get out of here! He was our waist gunner. I’m so glad he’s still alive!’”

Apparently, the two gunners had flown home together in 1945, shared a “shot of whiskey” when they landed in New York City, and then lost touch. Amazingly, their lives had followed parallel paths. Both had birthdays in November. Both had four children, and now, in retirement, they both enjoyed playing golf, woodworking, and the arts.

“A few days later, Jim [Turner] called my grandfather and they had a long chat. They arranged a meeting, so we went to Flushing, Long Island, on September 28, and both families were there when they met again.”

Mrs Jones said the reunion was extremely cordial, and after expressing wonder at how each of them had changed (one exclaimed, “Another whitehead!” immediately after seeing the other), the two old friends were relaxed and happy.

“They shared pictures of their kids and grandkids, and light-hearted memories. There were lots of laughs and smiles.”

As for the war memories, both men began talking and the families learned more than they ever had known before. Jim Turner still had his bomber jacket.

“Not many people get to experience this kind of emotional closure,” Mrs Jones said, adding that when the reunion was over, her father looked very relaxed and fulfilled.

Gary Treadwell was grateful to have put the two friends back in touch. As a 1998 graduate of Newtown High School and full-time student at Western Connecticut State University who has also worked full-time since high school, he is fully aware that starting out life today is a far cry from what it was for a young man in 1944.

“I’ve always wanted to know more about my grandfather’s war experiences. I can’t believe he was younger than I am now when he enlisted. It blows my mind that everyone volunteered back then. I guess I have a sense of great humility about what they did, about their sacrifice. I almost feel deprived because I didn’t have to go through this.”