Menu
  • Abous us
  • Search database
  • Resources
  • Donate
  • Faq

Conlon Joseph J. 'Jerry'

Name:
Joseph J. 'Jerry' Conlon
Rank:
Second Lieutenant
Serial Number:
Unit:
760th Bomber Squadron, 460th Bomber Group, Heavy
Date of Death:
2015-09-20
State:
Pennsylvania
Cemetery:
Greenlawn Cemetery Roaring Spring, Blair County, Pennsylvania
Plot:
Row:
Grave:
Decoration:
Comments:

September 30, 2015 The Altoona Mirror Joseph J. Conlon, 90, Roaring Spring, died Tuesday morning. He was born in Altoona, son of Richard Conlon (June 12, 1902 - May 31, 1980) and Auddress (Pennington) Conlon (April 16, 1904 Feb. 5, 1992). Surviving are three sons: Dennis and wife, Eileen (Peterman), of Bellwood, Douglas and wife, Sue Ann (Yeager), of Portage and Jerome and wife, Patrice (Wight), of Martinsburg; a daughter, Bernadine of Roaring Spring; and 14 grandchildren: Julie (Conlon) Evans and husband, Damon, of Altoona, Emily (Conlon) Walker and husband, Christopher, of Bellwood, Steve Conlon and wife, Abbie (Whitesell), of Bellwood, Kevin Conlon and wife, Lindsay (Barr), of Bellwood, Michael Conlon and wife, Kelly (Landy), of Beaver Falls, Cmdr. Molly (Conlon) Hayes and husband, Cmdr. Byron Hayes, both serving in the U.S. Coast Guard, William Kitt and wife, Jessica (Mowry), of Roaring Spring, Joseph Kitt and wife, Emily (Shaw), of Roaring Spring, Erin (Kitt) and husband, Michael Lewis, of Roaring Spring, Shane Cafferty of Roaring Spring, Matthew Conlon of Yukon Flats, Alaska, Tara Conlon and husband, Randy Williams, of Ebensburg, Katharine (Conlon) Gutshall and husband, Matthew, of Roaring Spring and Quinn Conlon of Roaring Spring. Also surviving are 23 great-grandchildren: Lily Evans, Trent Walker, Troy Walker, Jenna Walker, Caylie Conlon, Blake Conlon, Blaine Conlon, Braden Kitt, Abbie Kitt, Annie Kitt, Brayley Lewis, Ryley Lewis, Finnegan Conlon, Teagan Conlon, Sean Conlon, Mya Hayes, Max Hayes, Avery Conlon, Sadie Grace Conlon, Liam Williams, Rory Williams, Owen Williams and Christian Gutshall; and two siblings: Patricia Harshbarger and Thomas, both of Altoona. He was preceded in death by two brothers: Richard (Sept. 29, 1922 - March 4, 1923) and John (July 14, 1930 - April 10, 2011). Conlon graduated from Mount Camel Catholic Grade School and then from Altoona Catholic High School in 1943. Enlisting in the U.S. Army Air Force in January 1943, he was called to duty in April of his senior year. He received a commission as a second lieutenant and his bombardier wings on Oct. 28, 1943. He was assigned to the 460th Bomb Group of the 15th USAAF in Italy and began flying combat missions on April 13, 1944. Wounded in action on May 18, 1944, he returned to combat status after a five-week recovery in a field hospital in Italy. On his 19th mission on June 30, 1944, his B-24 aircraft was shot down over Hungary. He was first imprisoned in Hungary, then transferred to Stalag Luft III and finally to Stalag VII-A, both in Germany. He was liberated on April 29, 1945. Conlon returned to the States and, using the GI Bill, matriculated at Pennsylvania State College, where he earned both a bachelor's and master's degree. On June 16, 1948, he married Dorothy Krug of Ashville. In September 1948, he accepted a teaching position at Roaring Spring High School, and he served as a teacher, an athletic coach, and an administrator in the Roaring Spring and Spring Cove School Districts from September 1948 until December 1987. He and Dorothy made their home in Roaring Spring, and Dorothy died April 3, 2002. At the request of the deceased, the body will be cremated and a funeral Mass said at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Roaring Spring at the family's convenience.
Source: Find a grave