Son of Mr. and Mrs. W R Free of Albany, he was born July 4, 1915, near Haskell. He came to Shackelford County in October 1916, with his parents and lived near Fort Griffin until December 26, 1925, when the family moved to Albany.

He graduated from Albany High School in 1933 and worked for the Gulf Service Station and then became a salesman for Bradford Supply Co in Albany. In January 1938, his company transferred him to Anson and in June to Clay City, IL, where he was promoted to manager of that office.

He enlisted in the Reserve Corps of the Army for special service, October 16, 1942, and trained at Escanaba, MI. He returned home in March and on Aug 5, 1943, he returned to service at Camp Wolters. He trained at Sheppard Field and Sioux Falls and received final training at Yuma, AZ. He joined the 651st Bombardment Squadron at Ardmore, OK, where the squadron was organized and went from Lincoln, NE to England in October of that year.

Technical Sargent Free was killed in action aboard U.S. Army Air Corps B-17G Flying Fortress # 43-38845 of the 561st Bomber Squadron, 388th Bomber Group, Heavy when it was shot down by enemy fighters over Germany. He is now buried in the Albany Cemetery, Albany, Shackelford County, Texas, USA. He was one of the many brave Americans of the 388th Bomber Group who lost their lives in aerial operations against the German forces from June 1943 - August 1945.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com