Military Career of Joseph Landon

[kaki3152]

I'm trying to find out more information on Joseph Landon, who was the author of Angle of Attack or Bomber Crew, a novel on the 15th AF. He later became a screen writer He was born on Feb 14 (Valentine's Day),1923 and died on August 7,1987. The information on his military career was that he joined the service on April 18,1944 and left the service on Nov. 30,1945.

[alieneyes1]

Unfortunately, his obituary (Los Angeles Times, 9 August 1987) has nothing on his service career.

From the review of "Angle of Attack" from the Montreal Gazette, the final paragraph may fill in a few blanks.

https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...iew/176600959/

[kaki3152]

It's puzzling. I found that he entered military service in April 1944 and was released in November 1945. However, when I did a trawl of the Air Awards Listing in the National Archives, looking under Landon, I could find no mention of any Joseph Landon who was awarded any Air Medals. I can think of two possibilities (1) He was not Air crew but served with a 15th B-24 unit or (2) He changed his last name at some point. I've always liked the novel, thinking it was one of the better 15th AF novels.

[RSwank]

I believe he was born Isidore Levine.

He is listed at the top of the right hand column, book page 377:

https://worldwartwoveterans.org/wp-c...o-Volume-2.pdf

Awards for him there show A (Army Valorous Award?), DFC, PUC, AM, 3 OLC

1st Lt Isidore Levine was a navigator during the war.

[kaki3152]

Thanks RSwank! I thought he may have changed his name, based on being Jewish

[kaki3152]

Found his Air Medal citation. Isidore (NMI) Levine, 15th AF, O-718359. When he changed his name, he also did not have a Middle Initial. Thanks for the help.
Also found out that he was awarded the DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross) on October 24,1944 as a 2nd Lt. No information as to his B-24 Group

[Leendert]

He was navigator with 484th BG. See https://www.15thaf.org/49th_BW/484th...DFs/441207.pdf

Website must have more references to Lt. Levine.

Regards, Leendert

[Leendert]

Also see https://484th.org/Torretta%20Flyer/TF14/PDF/TF14-24.pdf with picture.

Leendert

[kaki3152]

Thanks Leendert. This answers all my questions