World War II Pilot, 325th Fighter Group

Bartholemew J. Judge, Jr. was born 5 January 1918 in Scranton, PA to Bartholemew Sr. and Margaret Judge. He joined big sisters Mildred, 14 and Margaret, 2. The 1920 Census showed the family living in Lackawanna, PA where father Bart is a Manager at a Distributing Co. Big sister Margaret died 13 January 1923. The 1930 Census showed the family still in Lackawanna, but they own their home and a radio set. Father Bart is working as an Agent. Big sister Mildred is still at home, working as a school teacher. Bart’s parents divorce sometime before the 1940 Census. Bart attended the University of Scranton, looks like he graduated 1940. He later attended George Washington University's Medial School in Washington, DC until he joined the Army Air Corp. No 1940 Census could be found for Bart.

Bart’s draft card, dated 16 October 1940 showed he is living with his mother in Milford, PA. He was 5’ 7”, weighed 157 with blue eyes and black hair. He joined the Army on 26 September 1941 at Ft. Bragg, NC. Newspapers said he joined May 1941. He has 4 years of college, single, without dependents, and listed Acting as his profession. His Army Service # 33022224. He quickly qualifies for flight training, being assigned to Class 42-D. He was Commissioned and awarded his wings 29 April 1942 at Foster Field, Victoria, TX. He was given a new Officer’s service # O-659719. Herky Green, who went on to become the top Ace in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, was a class mate of Bert’s and both flew with the 325th Fighter Group. In September 1942 the 325th Fighter Group was being formed and trained at Hillgrove, RI. On 29 November 1942 1LT Bart Judge announced his engagement to Jane Ann Kiley of Milford, PA.

LT Judge was lost 22 DEC 1942 during a routine training flight over the Cape Cod area. The Army, Air Force, Navy and Coast guard all searched for him. He was eventually found on 23 March 1943 with the wreckage of his P-40 close to Falmouth, MA. Authorities were not able to determine the cause of the crash. 1LT Judge was one of the first member of the 325th Fighter Group to be killed in the line of duty. He is buried at St. Catherin's Cemetery in Moscow, Pennsylvania.

To learn more about the 325th Fighter Group, please visit www.checkertails.org

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WW2 fallen here on Fold3. Related to this, there will be a smart phone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen's name and read his/her story.

References:

www.ancestry.com

www.fold3.com

www.newspapaers.com

Herky! Memoirs of a Checkertail Ace by Herschel H. Green

Bart J Judge