Remembering World War II

Name: Charles Everett Blades Rank: Staff Sergeant Service Number: 6152184 Service: 584th Bomb Squadron, 394th Bomb Group (Medium), United States Army Air Force Awards: Air Medal with 9 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart Date of Birth: May 11, 1920 Place of Birth: Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts Date of Enlistment: Unknown Place of Enlistment: Unknown Address at Enlistment: Unknown Age at Enlistment: Unknown Marital Status: Single (at enlistment) Religion: Protestant Next of Kin: Lucy A. Blades (Mother) Date of Death: July 18, 1944 Age: 24 Cemetery: Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, Cambridgeshire, England Grave: Plot E, Row 1, Grave 94 Charles Everett Blades was the son of Charles Ashton Blades (1890-1972) and Lucy Adeline (Bethel) Blades (1894-1980). His father was born in Oak Park in Shelburne County, Nova Scotia, and his mother was born in Baccaro, Shelburne Co. Charles had two siblings - Inez Eulalie Blades (1915–1993), and Herbert Maurice Blades (1918–2001). Charles’ brother Herbert served as a Machinist’s Mate First Class in the US Navy in WWII. Charles attended Hyde Park High School in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Boston. He married Eileen Odessa Watt (1922-2014), on Jan 21, 1944, in Battle Creek, Calhoun County, Michigan. He was likely there due to being stationed there with the United States Army Air Force. Eileen was born in Shelburne Co., Nova Scotia. Charles was assigned to the 584th Bomb Squadron of the 394th Bomb Group (Medium) in the 9th Air Force of the USAAF which flew B-26 Marauders over Europe. They were stationed in England. The mission on July 18, 1944, in which Charles took part was to the Demouville Defended Area just east of Caen. It has been described as the most significant bombing effort of the war, and it was in support of Field Marshall Montgomery, whose troops were bogged down and unable to break through. All 9th Air Force Bomb Groups were sent to the target in an all out effort. Charles died that same day; the exact circumstances are unknown. Charles was interred at the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial in Cambridgeshire, England.

Charles Everett Blades

Source: findagrave American Battle Monuments Commission – Charles Everett Blades American Battle Monuments Commission – Cambridge American Cemetery

The 584th Bomb Squadron and 9th Air Force patches

Yearbook Photo: Everett C. Blades - If silence were golden, he would be rich. He smiles off all his troubles.