Military man in Austin H. Winn’s letters 1
Mentioned in letters as: Alexander Alexion
Named once among the officers on Austin’s new B-29 crew in July 1945 (with K. G. Smith, Doganges, and Butler). Likely the “Alexander Alepine” signature on the City of Annapolis crew photograph in manuscript chapter 18 (spelling uncertain).
FACT from the letters: On 4 July 1945 Austin named “Alexander Alexion” among the four officers on his new crew, with K. G. Smith, Johnny Doganges, and P. F. Butler. The letter does not give his duty.
FACT from the photograph: The ink over the fifth standing man appears to read “Alexander Alexion.” It does not look like “Alepine.”
Public records add the name and the group, not the crew. FACT from the Fairhaven cemetery record: Alexander Alexion, born 1 January 1917 in New Bedford, Massachusetts, died 13 November 1984 in Fairhaven, son of Mark Alexion and Vasiliki Tsikas. The record says “War Served WWII,” “Branch Served USA,” “Unit Served 19 Bombardment Group,” “Rank 1st Lt.” It does not name a squadron, a crew, or an airplane.
FACT from the University of Kansas finding aid: “17 personal letters written by Lieutenant Alexander Alexion (19th Bomb Group - 934 Squad) while he was stationed at Great Bend Army Airfield, Great Bend, Kansas,” dated 1944–1945. The aid prints “934 Squad.” That figure is not the 93rd Bomb Squadron in Austin’s address, and it is not corrected here. The aid does not name a crew, Guam, or an airplane.
FACT from an award-card transcription: 1st Lieutenant Alexander Alexion, service number O-2063321, Distinguished Flying Cross, order number 24, date 8/6/1945. The Group/Squadron line on that card is blank. He is not on the 20th Air Force association’s 19th Bomb Group A index.
HYPOTHESIS: The New Bedford lieutenant is the officer Austin named. The name is uncommon and two pages say 19th Bomb Group, but neither page puts him on Austin’s crew, so that identification stays with the letters. His recorded birthplace is New Bedford, not Annapolis. The 8 July letter says the bombardier lived in Annapolis, so this record does not make Alexion that bombardier.
Sources: Fairhaven cemetery — Alexander Alexion; Kenneth Spencer Research Library — Lt. Alexander Alexion letters; Army Air Corps Museum — Alexander Alexion DFC card; 20af.org — 19th Bomb Group roster (A).