Richard's Dad

Richard Fitzpatrick

Habitual entrepreneur.
Maverick politician.
Angel Investor.

George "Jack" Fitzpatrick

· Jack was born in Muskegon on March 5, 1915 and grew-up near Grant, Michigan.

· He enlisted in U.S. Army in August 1942.

· Since he already held a Private Pilot License (he had trained in a Civil Aviation program in Big Rapids), he was assigned to the Army Air Corps. He graduated in November of 1943 as a 2^nd Lieutenant and a multi-engine pilot.

· In March of 1944, he left Baer Field, near Ft. Wayne, IN, picked-up a new C-47 in Mobile, Alabama and flew it to the England front taking a southern route: Puerto Rico, Brazil, Liberia, Morocco -- and then north along the treacherous European coast to England.

· There he joined the 95^th Squadron, 440 Troop Carrier Group and was sent to Exeter, to begin planning and preparations for the invasion to liberate France.

· On 6/6/44 (D-Day), Jack flew one of the lead planes carrying the 101^st Airborne paratroopers into Normandy. Numerous other planes in their “V” formation were shot-down – including the one immediately on their left.

· On 6/7 he flew back across the English Channel with additional troops, re-supplies and towing heavy artillery on a glider. Numerous other planes were lost – including the one immediately on their right.

· He continued to fly daily missions across the Channel into the hail of enemy fire in support of our front-line soldiers -- often flying below 1,000 feet and slowing to 90 mph to make certain the supplies reached our troops.

· That August, Jack was sent to a temporary airfield on the west coast of Italy to take part in the invasion of Southern France. He was promoted to 1^st Lt.

· In September, he returned to England for the invasion to liberate Holland where his plane carried the troops of the 82^nd Airborne and their glider-borne artillery – often they flew missions into enemy territory 2 or 3 times a day.

· In the periods between major campaign airlifts, he flew hundreds of wounded soldiers from near-battle-line, make-shift airfields to hospitals in secure areas.

· Around Christmas 1944, he flew in supplies to the allied troops in Bastogne who were completely surrounded by heavily armed German soldiers.

· By spring, he was having daily missions across the Rhine supplying General George S. Patton’s Third Army as it fought its way across France into Germany.

· After the Victory in Europe (May, 1945), he flew numerous missions transporting German prisoners and liberated allies (including those who survived the Concentration Camps). His flights also took emergency food and medical cargoes to critical areas throughout Europe, wherever hunger or disease threatened.

· That summer, he was assigned a new C-47 and began planning and preparations for an invasion of Japan. The use of the Atomic Bomb made that unnecessary.

· Jack returned to the U.S. and helped prepare the 440^th Troop Carrier Group for deactivation. He retired from active duty.

· Jack spent 20+ years as a project inspector for the State of Michigan Highway Department. He also owned and operated a number of successful businesses including “Fitz’s Tavern” (now the “Sportsman’s Bar”) in Newaygo and “Riverside Cabins & Trailer Park” in Big Rapids.

· After retiring from state employment, he was a part-time Realtor in Newaygo.

· On the occasion of his 90^th birthday, Jack was honored by the United States Congress when it presented him with the American flag that flew over the Capitol Building in Washington, DC that day in honor of his service to our country.

· Jack has been married to Alta (Peg) Halpin Ferguson Fitzpatrick for 38 years.

· He has one son, Hon. Richard G. Fitzpatrick, a highly-decorated veteran of the American War in VietNam (US Army – 25^th Infantry Div) and a four-term member of the Michigan House of Representatives. He has two grandchildren: Conor, a student at Albion College, (Albion, MI) and Bridget, a middle school student in Henderson, Nevada.