1924 to 1942 - The Years Before Enlistment

Roger C. Ellis was born on September 23, 1924 in Erie PA.  His parents were Clifford and Marie Ellis.  He graduated from Academy High School in Erie on June 18, 1942 at a time in history when the United States was fully involved in World War II.

Sixteen million men and women, one in eight of the population of the United States, served in uniform during World War II.  Three million of them served in the Army Air Force.  Of this number 191,654 were awarded wings as pilots.  Of these pilots, approximately 70,000 were single engine fighter pilots.  This is the story of one of those fighter pilots - my father, Roger C. Ellis.

The history that is chronicled here was constructed from records including U.S. Government archives, discharge papers, pilot flight records, orders and certificates and dated photographs.