USMA Class of 1941. United States Air Force.
Bruce Cator was born in San Jose, California, in 1916. His great-grandfather was Colonel Alonzo Whitney Adams, who helped to organize New York’s first cavalry regiment, known as Lincoln’s Cavalry. Colonel Adams led his regiment through many battles of the Civil War and was a Brigadier General at the close of the War. When he was 14 years old, his father died. He went to live with his paternal aunt, Wilna Hervey and her partner, Nan Mason in Bearsville, New York where he attended school. His mother continued to support his brother, Theodore and sister, Barrian. A family friend, E.S. Pladwell of Oakland, California, offered to send him through high school at Drew. In 1941, he graduated from the United States Military Academy, planning to follow the career of a pilot. He was put in command of heavy bombers. Before going overseas he married Agnes Johnson from Arizona, who was known as Joni. They were the parents of two daughters, Candi and Karen. At the age of two years, Candi died of tubercular meningitis and Karen was permanently handicapped by the disease. During the Korean War, he was stationed in Japan for two years as an Inspector General. While he was there Joni became ill and in 1955, she died in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts. Karen attended a school near McGuire Air Force Base where he was stationed for four years as he continued his military career as Inspector General for Military Air Transport Service, both for our Eastern Seaboard and European bases. In 1958, he had his first operation for cancer. He was appointed Commander of MATS, and was stationed at Orly Field, near Paris, France. Karen attended school in London. The cancer returned and he was hospitalized in Germany, at St. Albans on Long Island and the Veterans Hospital in Albany, New York. He died on July 7, 1960. His awards included a Presidential Citation, a Silver Star and many Oak Leaf Clusters for bravery in action.
Source: United States Military Academy Association of Graduates memorial.
Bruce Cator was born in San Jose, California, in 1916. His great-grandfather was Colonel Alonzo Whitney Adams, who helped to organize New York’s first cavalry regiment, known as Lincoln’s Cavalry. Colonel Adams led his regiment through many battles of the Civil War and was a Brigadier General at the close of the War. When he was 14 years old, his father died. He went to live with his paternal aunt, Wilna Hervey and her partner, Nan Mason in Bearsville, New York where he attended school. His mother continued to support his brother, Theodore and sister, Barrian. A family friend, E.S. Pladwell of Oakland, California, offered to send him through high school at Drew. In 1941, he graduated from the United States Military Academy, planning to follow the career of a pilot. He was put in command of heavy bombers. Before going overseas he married Agnes Johnson from Arizona, who was known as Joni. They were the parents of two daughters, Candi and Karen. At the age of two years, Candi died of tubercular meningitis and Karen was permanently handicapped by the disease. During the Korean War, he was stationed in Japan for two years as an Inspector General. While he was there Joni became ill and in 1955, she died in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts. Karen attended a school near McGuire Air Force Base where he was stationed for four years as he continued his military career as Inspector General for Military Air Transport Service, both for our Eastern Seaboard and European bases. In 1958, he had his first operation for cancer. He was appointed Commander of MATS, and was stationed at Orly Field, near Paris, France. Karen attended school in London. The cancer returned and he was hospitalized in Germany, at St. Albans on Long Island and the Veterans Hospital in Albany, New York. He died on July 7, 1960. His awards included a Presidential Citation, a Silver Star and many Oak Leaf Clusters for bravery in action.
Source: United States Military Academy Association of Graduates memorial.
USMA Class of 1941. United States Air Force.
Bruce Cator was born in San Jose, California, in 1916. His great-grandfather was Colonel Alonzo Whitney Adams, who helped to organize New York’s first cavalry regiment, known as Lincoln’s Cavalry. Colonel Adams led his regiment through many battles of the Civil War and was a Brigadier General at the close of the War. When he was 14 years old, his father died. He went to live with his paternal aunt, Wilna Hervey and her partner, Nan Mason in Bearsville, New York where he attended school. His mother continued to support his brother, Theodore and sister, Barrian. A family friend, E.S. Pladwell of Oakland, California, offered to send him through high school at Drew. In 1941, he graduated from the United States Military Academy, planning to follow the career of a pilot. He was put in command of heavy bombers. Before going overseas he married Agnes Johnson from Arizona, who was known as Joni. They were the parents of two daughters, Candi and Karen. At the age of two years, Candi died of tubercular meningitis and Karen was permanently handicapped by the disease. During the Korean War, he was stationed in Japan for two years as an Inspector General. While he was there Joni became ill and in 1955, she died in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts. Karen attended a school near McGuire Air Force Base where he was stationed for four years as he continued his military career as Inspector General for Military Air Transport Service, both for our Eastern Seaboard and European bases. In 1958, he had his first operation for cancer. He was appointed Commander of MATS, and was stationed at Orly Field, near Paris, France. Karen attended school in London. The cancer returned and he was hospitalized in Germany, at St. Albans on Long Island and the Veterans Hospital in Albany, New York. He died on July 7, 1960. His awards included a Presidential Citation, a Silver Star and many Oak Leaf Clusters for bravery in action.
Source: United States Military Academy Association of Graduates memorial.
Bruce Cator was born in San Jose, California, in 1916. His great-grandfather was Colonel Alonzo Whitney Adams, who helped to organize New York’s first cavalry regiment, known as Lincoln’s Cavalry. Colonel Adams led his regiment through many battles of the Civil War and was a Brigadier General at the close of the War. When he was 14 years old, his father died. He went to live with his paternal aunt, Wilna Hervey and her partner, Nan Mason in Bearsville, New York where he attended school. His mother continued to support his brother, Theodore and sister, Barrian. A family friend, E.S. Pladwell of Oakland, California, offered to send him through high school at Drew. In 1941, he graduated from the United States Military Academy, planning to follow the career of a pilot. He was put in command of heavy bombers. Before going overseas he married Agnes Johnson from Arizona, who was known as Joni. They were the parents of two daughters, Candi and Karen. At the age of two years, Candi died of tubercular meningitis and Karen was permanently handicapped by the disease. During the Korean War, he was stationed in Japan for two years as an Inspector General. While he was there Joni became ill and in 1955, she died in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts. Karen attended a school near McGuire Air Force Base where he was stationed for four years as he continued his military career as Inspector General for Military Air Transport Service, both for our Eastern Seaboard and European bases. In 1958, he had his first operation for cancer. He was appointed Commander of MATS, and was stationed at Orly Field, near Paris, France. Karen attended school in London. The cancer returned and he was hospitalized in Germany, at St. Albans on Long Island and the Veterans Hospital in Albany, New York. He died on July 7, 1960. His awards included a Presidential Citation, a Silver Star and many Oak Leaf Clusters for bravery in action.
Source: United States Military Academy Association of Graduates memorial.
Family Members
Siblings
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
