Marshall Freerks
My father-in-law, Marshall Freerks, grew up not far from Superior in Cuyuna, Mn. He was the valadictorian of Crosby High School in 1929. After graduation he enlisted in the Navy and was a trumpeter in a band on board a battle ship. After his tour of duty he attended Carlton College. In about 1940 he re-enlisted in the Navy and became a PBY pilot. During the war he had two tours of duty in Dutch Harbor, Aleutian Islands, Alaska. He won the Navy Distinguished Flying Cross there for taking off in a storm and sighting a Japanese Aircraft Carrier shortly after the battle of Midway. His plane was equipped with radar at the time, I believe. He lived to tell the tale and after the war got his PHD in Chemistry and had a long and distinguished career with Monsanto Corp in St. Louis. He is now retired and living in Kirkwood, Mo. He is mentioned several times in the book "The 1,000 Mile War" by Brian Garfield, an excellent history of the Alaskan campaign. I have scanned his logbook and can forward copies by email if you would like.
Fred Turk, St. Paul MN
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