52 Ancestors - Gone too Soon

 I have been participating in Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks project. The prompt was "Gone Too Soon."  

"Glider Men Shoot Way Out in Wild's" was the headline of Gazette of Cedar Rapid, Iowa on March 19, 1944. Lt Charles Bourck Liston had been in a glider crash.  Two Gliders had crashed in Burma.  The article goes on to tell of their life and death game of hide and seek with the enemy in a nigh chase through the jungle.  Charles was to injure his leg in the crash. They were to walk half mile to the bank of the Chindwin only to hear three shots behind them. Liston said, "we couldn't find anything to make into a raft and Evans and myself were the only person who could swim."  On this day Lt Charles Liston would survive. 

The headline was much different May 2, 1944, "15 Iowa Yanks Missing".  Lt Charles Liston was listed among the missing.

Below is the article that was in the Dallas County News, Adel, IA; Wednesday 14 June 1945. 

" The secretary of war desires to express his deepest regret that your son, First Lieutenant Charles Be Liston, died in Burma, April 2, 1944, a prisoner of the Japanese government. In reports received says your son was captured in Burma March 6th, 1944. Confirming letter follows."

The above telegram was received Monday night by Mrs Minnie Liston, Route 3, Adel from J.A. Adjutant General, and brought untold sadness to the mother and many friend of the young man.

For many months (since April 1944) Mrs Liston had been anxiously awaiting news of her son. At one time a message was received stating that he had been reported missing since March 6th of the same year. Nothing more was heard from then until the wire came Monday. 

Luit Liston, 35, entered the service more than four years ago and was a glider pilot and such saw some thrilling experiences according to the news dispatches from, where he was associated with Jackie Coogan, former movie star. he received his training at Victorville, Cal., was commissioned a second Lieutenant at Bowman Field, KY., and advanced to the first lieutenant after going overseas.

Charles served as a First Lieutenant and Pilot on a Glider, 1st Air Command Force, U.S. Army Air Force during World War 2.

He resided in Los Angeles County, California prior to the war. He was born on Aug 16, 1909, in Union, Iowa to Charles R Liston and Margaret Louise Bourck.  His mother, Margaret, died during childbirth. The mother referenced in the article above is his father's second wife, Minnie who raised him from a very young age. At his family's request Iowa was put on the Tablets of the Missing.

Charles was on a secret mission flying on a Glider on March 6, 1944 into Burma. After landing they were captured by the Japanese and sent to the Rangoon POW camp in Myanmar {Burma). 

Charles died while POW of the Japanese Army at Rangoon. He was awarded the Air Medal, Purple Heart, and the Prisoner of War medal. 

Crew of this Glider

Fletcher E Hart, M/Sgt (survivor)

Charles Liston, 1st Lt , Pilot (MIA)

Julius F Yackie Corp (MIA)

In 1946 Charles' remains were recovered from a burial at the Rangoon POW camp. Tragically, his remains, along with others were being transported from Rangoon to Calcutta, India by a C-47 which crashed on May 17, 1946. Charles remains were not recovered from this crash.

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Interesting Fact

Jackie Coogan, actor, who Charles served with during WW2 later played Uncle Fester on 1960s sitcom The Addams Family

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