He was the son of Henry N and Blanche E (Sawtelle) Frees. His wife was Elenora L Frees.
Frees grew up in Maywood Illinois, where he attended Lincoln Grade School and Proviso Township High School, class of 1935. He went on to Elmhurst College.
He entered the Army Air Corps and trained at the University of Miami, Scott Field, Illinois, Selman Field, Louisiana, and Clovis Field, New Mexico.
Frees was the radio operator on B-29 #44-61554, with the 20th Air Force, 58th Bombardment Wing, 40th Bombardment Group, 45th Bombardment Squadron. Two weeks after Japan surrendered, this crew volunteered to fly from their base on Tinian carrying desperately needed supplies to Prisoner of War camps near Yawata Japan, where allied prisoners were still awaiting liberation. In dense fog and pouring rain the B-29 attempted to cross the Sobo Mountain Range, but clipped a mountain peak and crashed, bursting into flames near Mount Oyaji. All aboard were killed.
He had 25 combat missions over Japan, and received the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart and three Presidential unit citations.
Frees grew up in Maywood Illinois, where he attended Lincoln Grade School and Proviso Township High School, class of 1935. He went on to Elmhurst College.
He entered the Army Air Corps and trained at the University of Miami, Scott Field, Illinois, Selman Field, Louisiana, and Clovis Field, New Mexico.
Frees was the radio operator on B-29 #44-61554, with the 20th Air Force, 58th Bombardment Wing, 40th Bombardment Group, 45th Bombardment Squadron. Two weeks after Japan surrendered, this crew volunteered to fly from their base on Tinian carrying desperately needed supplies to Prisoner of War camps near Yawata Japan, where allied prisoners were still awaiting liberation. In dense fog and pouring rain the B-29 attempted to cross the Sobo Mountain Range, but clipped a mountain peak and crashed, bursting into flames near Mount Oyaji. All aboard were killed.
He had 25 combat missions over Japan, and received the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart and three Presidential unit citations.
He was the son of Henry N and Blanche E (Sawtelle) Frees. His wife was Elenora L Frees.
Frees grew up in Maywood Illinois, where he attended Lincoln Grade School and Proviso Township High School, class of 1935. He went on to Elmhurst College.
He entered the Army Air Corps and trained at the University of Miami, Scott Field, Illinois, Selman Field, Louisiana, and Clovis Field, New Mexico.
Frees was the radio operator on B-29 #44-61554, with the 20th Air Force, 58th Bombardment Wing, 40th Bombardment Group, 45th Bombardment Squadron. Two weeks after Japan surrendered, this crew volunteered to fly from their base on Tinian carrying desperately needed supplies to Prisoner of War camps near Yawata Japan, where allied prisoners were still awaiting liberation. In dense fog and pouring rain the B-29 attempted to cross the Sobo Mountain Range, but clipped a mountain peak and crashed, bursting into flames near Mount Oyaji. All aboard were killed.
He had 25 combat missions over Japan, and received the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart and three Presidential unit citations.
Frees grew up in Maywood Illinois, where he attended Lincoln Grade School and Proviso Township High School, class of 1935. He went on to Elmhurst College.
He entered the Army Air Corps and trained at the University of Miami, Scott Field, Illinois, Selman Field, Louisiana, and Clovis Field, New Mexico.
Frees was the radio operator on B-29 #44-61554, with the 20th Air Force, 58th Bombardment Wing, 40th Bombardment Group, 45th Bombardment Squadron. Two weeks after Japan surrendered, this crew volunteered to fly from their base on Tinian carrying desperately needed supplies to Prisoner of War camps near Yawata Japan, where allied prisoners were still awaiting liberation. In dense fog and pouring rain the B-29 attempted to cross the Sobo Mountain Range, but clipped a mountain peak and crashed, bursting into flames near Mount Oyaji. All aboard were killed.
He had 25 combat missions over Japan, and received the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart and three Presidential unit citations.
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