Edmund Thorpe Charlesworth, Sr. - Obituary

Edmund Thorpe Charlesworth, Sr. on Monday, May 10, 2010, age 98. Mr. Charlesworth, a lifelong resident of the Cold Point section of Plymouth Meeting, was born May 5, 1912 in the Frankford section of Philadelphia. At an early young age he moved with his parents to Norristown. He was the son of the late Thomas J. Charlesworth and Sarah Jane (Irons) Charlesworth and the loving husband of the late Virginia Alberta (Miller) Charlesworth, who passed away in 1999. He was the brother of the late Marian Morris and Thomas J. Charlesworth, Jr.

Mr. Charlesworth was a veteran of the Pennsylvania National Guard, C Company, 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry in Norristown having joined in 1938 and retiring in 1968, achieving the rank of Master Sergeant. He was also a veteran of WWII having enlisted in the Army Air Force in 1943. He was assigned to the 353rd Bomb Squadron of the 301st Bomb Group in the 15th Air Force based at Foggia Field Italy. Then Tech Sergeant Charlesworth became the flight engineer and top turret gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress. On December 18, 1944 his B-17 was shot down over Yugoslavia. All ten of the crewmen were forced to bail out of the damaged plane in enemy territory. Being spread out, some were captured and some escaped and evaded. After several weeks of being missing in action, Sergeant Charlesworth made it back to Italy, after which he rejoined his bomb group and continued flying bombing missions until being discharged on June 19, 1945.

Mr. Charlesworth was also a lifelong member of the Norristown Masonic Lodge F & AM, No. 620 having achieved the the 32nd degree level. He will be sorely missed by his friends and constituents.

During his civilian years Mr. Charlesworth was employed at the former Alan Wood Steel Company having retired in 1977. He then worked part time as a security officer for Spectra Guard. In his spare time Mr. Charlesworth took college courses and pursued his dream of becoming a Paleontologist. His favorite pastime was going out on digs in various locations.

Mr. Charlesworth is survived by a daughter, Vivian and a son Edmund, Jr. (Nancy); 4 grandchildren; 4 great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Edmund T Charlesworth