Julian E. Chugerman, B-29 Celestial Navigator and Radar Bombardier, 459th Squadron, 330th Bomb Group, 20th Air Force.
Following flight training in Florida and Advanced Navigational Training in Texas, Julian Chugerman reported first to Boca Raton, AAF, Florida and then Langley Field, Virginia. However, plans were to change and instead of heading to Africa or England, it was on to Walker AAF, Kansas for B-29 training. From there, the B-29 crews spent time training and patrolling out of Havana, Cuba and went on to pick up their new Superfortress in Nebraska dubbed "The City of Paterson", K-54. Their assignment was Guam via California, Kwajalein Atol and Hawaii.
Multiple Air Medals recognized 1Lt. Chugerman's 23 missions over the Empire. After returning from the longest daylight mission of the war, targeting a tetraethyl plant north of Tokyo, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Rather than return home from the raid, the crew had gone beyond the call of duty to search for another B-29 believed to have ditched near Iwo Jima. In a low altitude show of force, his plane flew 500 feet directly over the USS Missouri, anchored in Tokyo Bay for the 11 a.m. signing of the armistice. The squadron's final assignment involved missions flying food rations to Okinawa.
After home leave, he reported to Boca Raton, Florida as Squadron Adjutant, was sent on to Administration School in San Antonio, Texas and subsequently to Clovis AAF, New Mexico as Deputy Squadron Commander and then Squadron Commander until separation from active service. He further served six years in the AAF Reserves.
In 1950, Capt. Chugerman took up residence in Poughkeepsie, New York with his wife Rita where he pursued a successful business career and family life.