Lieutenant Colonel Magee C. Fuller
Lieutenant Colonel Magee C. Fuller
Lieutenant Colonel Magee C. Fuller was born in Erie, Pennsylvania on December 4, 1917 the son of Warren and Ethel Magee Fuller. He attended Emerson Elementary School and Gridley Junior High School. He graduated from Millcreek High School.
According to his sister, Magee always had an interest in flying. As a teenager, he took lessons at a small air strip located on Spires’ farm which is now the Millcreek Mall. Magee purchased a third interest in an open cockpit airplane and became a civilian pilot, a private flying instructor, and a charter pilot.
On his 18th birthday in 1935, Magee enlisted in the Pennsylvania National Guard. He was honorably discharged on December 3, 1938.
Always anxious to fly, Magee enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force on September 8, 1940. He was a flight instructor with the Royal Canadian Air Force stationed in Goderich, Ontario, Canada until May 1942.
On May 20, 1942, Magee was ordered to active duty from the Canadian Armed Forces to the Armed Forces of the United States commissioned 2nd Lieutenant stationed at Southeast Air Force Training Center, Maxwell Field, Alabama.
On June 6, 1943, Lt. Fuller was sent to England with the original 100th Bombardment Group (Heavy) at Station 139, Thorpe Abbotts, a tiny hamlet 20 miles sought of Norwich, England. He was with crew #7 assigned to the 349th Bombardment Squadron. The 100th Bombardment group concentrated its efforts against airfields in France and naval facilities and industries in both France and Germany. Lt. Fuller’s group acquired the nickname-“the Bloody Hundredth”. The group was the subject of the 1949 movie Twelve O’Clock High starring Gregory Peck.
Lt. Fuller rose to the ranks of Operations Officer, Squadron Commander for the 418th Bombardment Squadron. On March 4, 1944, Captain Fuller was the Command Pilot of the lead squadron of the first 8th Air Force Groups over Berlin.
On July 20, 1944 Lt. Major Fuller was leading a mission in a Pathfinder ship to hit oil refineries in Merseburg, Germany. The Pathfinder took a direct hit and Major Fuller was captured and taken prisoner near Louvain just east of Brussels. He was sent to Stalag Luft I located on a strip of barren land jutting in the Baltic Sea about 105 miles northwest of Berlin. Here Major Fuller remained a prisoner of war until liberated by the Russians in May 1945. After his release, Major Fuller returned to San Antonio, Texas on June 3, 1945. He separated from the Army Air Force on January 12, 1946. He applied for recall and was appointed a Reserve Officer in the United States Air Force. On July 1, 1955 Major Fuller was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. He was a pilot stationed at various strategic air command (SAC) bases. He then worked as an air craft maintenance officer at retiring in August 1966.
During the course of his Air Force career, Lt. Col. Fuller earned many honors including: a Distinguished Flying Cross, an Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, 3 Overseas Bars, an EAME Theater Ribbon with 2 Battle Stars, and a Letter of Commendation. Lt. Col. Fuller was one of just a few officers authorized to wear the RAF Wings and the USA Air Force wings. Befitting a true hero, Lieutenant Colonel Magee C. Fuller died on July 4, 1970-Independence Day.