Linden, Eric O.

Description

Eric O. Linden was born in Hartford, Connecticut on April 29, 1920. In Rye, he lived at 61 Palisade Rd. with his parents, Oscar and Esther, and brother, Carl. The Linden Family were members of the Rye Presbyterian Church.

Eric was a 1939 graduate of Rye High School where he was a member of the National Honor Society and Senior Class President. In the yearbook, Eric describes himself as “self-reliant”. He was Junior Coach and Captain of the Basketball and Track teams for Rye High School.

He was also active in school plays, playing a Wise Man in the production of “Good Tidings of Great Joy” on December 21, 1938. An indication of his future leadership abilities is his yearbook quote; ” Hail to the Chief who in triumph advances.”.

Before enlisting in the Army on November 5, 1941, Eric was employed as a metal worker. He entered the Army Air Corps – 310TH BOMB GROUP, 381ST SQUADRON as an Aviation Cadet. He served in the Air Force for 28 years as a pilot and served with the 54th Bomber Wing in North Africa in 1942 as a B-25 bomber pilot.

Among his many medals, he was issued the Distinguished Flying Cross for his participation in the North African Theater of War. He served in the Air Force for 28 years as a pilot and instructor. He retired from the United States Air Force with the rank of Lt. Colonel.

He met his wife, Carolyn, at Rabat, Morocco, where she was an army nurse. They were married in Algeria in December 1943. They had a daughter, Sally.

He was active in the Retired Officers organization, 54th Bomber Wing, Rolling Hills Golf Club and Audubon Covenant Church.

Eric O. Linden died on August 23, 2001 at the age of 81 in Winter Park, Florida.

Adrienne Mecca
2021

This is a WWII 12th Air Force documentary film about the B-25 medium bomber groups of the 12th Air Force. The 310th, 319th, 321st, and 340 Bombardment Groups made up the 57th Bomb Wing of the 12th AF. The period covered is approximately March of 1944 until late Spring of 1945. Primary locations are somewhere near Mount Vesuvius, the Brenner Railway Line, Rimini, other locations in Italy, and Corsica, France.