Lester Hale

HALE, LESTER Age 86 and resident of Ansonia, entered into eternal rest Feb. 18 at Shady Knoll Health Center in Seymour. Lester Hale was born October 21, 1924 in Seymour, Connecticut, the son of George W. Hale and Nellie Meany Hale. He was the eighth of nine children. He is survived by his two sons: former State Senator Gary Hale of Hamden and Ansonia Police Chief Kevin Hale of Beacon Falls. Additionally, he is survived by Kevin's wife, Carrie Hale, and his six grandchildren: Lauren, Caitlin, Matthew, Andrew, Rebecca and Patrick. Lester was predeceased by his loving wife, Eleanor Healey Hale, and his siblings: George, Harold, Edward, Lewis, Lawrence, Frank and his sisters, Marion Hale Wetmore and Helen Hale Waldron. Lester's father, George, was the descendant of Thomas Hale who immigrated to America from England in 1634 and was part of Thomas Hooker's relocation from Massachusetts to Connecticut. His mother was the daughter of Catholic immigrants from Ireland. His father died at the age of 46 in 1927 following a work accident leaving his widow to raise and care for their nine children. The nine children, ranging in age from 19 through the youngest, held together with their beloved mother to survive the ensuing Great Depression and move to the future. Three of the sons, including Lester, served the United States with distinction in World War II. Lester was educated in Seymour public schools and graduated from Seymour High School in 1942. Following his graduation from high school, at the age of 17 and with anxious permission from his mother, Lester joined the United States Army Air Corps. He became a member of the crew of the "Fighting Mudcat", a B-24 Liberator heavy bomber as its nose-turret gunner. He and his fellow crew members of the "Fighting Mudcat" were part of the 15th US Army Air Force's 459th Bomb Group, 304th Wing Heavy Bombers, 756th Bomb Squadron based at Giulia Field, Cerignola, Italy in the Mediterranean Field of Allied Operations. The "Fighting Mudcat" was credited for 50 bombing missions against the Axis powers including raids against munitions, aircraft, ball-bearing and supply factories, rail marshalling yards including those used to coordinate the transport of European Jews to concentration camps, enemy - controlled bridges and depots and two treacherous raids against Nazi oil supply refineries at Ploesti, Romania. Lester was promoted during these missions to Staff Sergeant. He was the last living member of his valiant crew at the time of his passing. Lester was part of a crew whose members were each awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, EAME Combat Medals with 7 Battle Stars for bombing raids on Rome-Arno, Air Combat Ploesti, Northern France, Air Offensive Europe, Air Combat Balkans, Southern France and Monte Cassino; the Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Presidential Unit Citation Badge for missions at Bad Voslau and other awards. He was honorably discharged from the US Army Air Corps in 1945 and returned home to his mother and family in Seymour. Lester married Eleanor Healey of Ansonia in 1950 and spent the next 40 years working as an electrician at the Seymour Manufacturing Company which later became Bridgeport Brass in Seymour. They raised their two sons in Ansonia. He lived in his adopted hometown of Ansonia following his marriage. He served Ansonia for 57 years as a volunteer member of the Charters Hose Company #4 Fire Company, as a member and president of the Board of Aldermen and as the city's Mayor from 1967 through 1969. Lester was a member of the parish of the Church of the Assumption. He was a member of the Ansonia Housing Authority, a loyal member of the Ansonia Democratic Party, a delegate to the 1968 Democratic National Convention, member of the Benevolent Protective Order of the Elks in Derby, member and President of the Central Subalpi Club, the Catholic War Veterans of Derby, V.F.W. Oakville CT Chapter and the American Legion of Ansonia. Lester was a devoted fan of his beloved New York Yankees. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, with friends asked to go directly to The Church of the Assumption in Ansonia. Burial with military honors accorded will follow in Pine Grove Cemetery. Friends may call on Tuesday, 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at The Jenkins King & Malerba Funeral Home, 12 Franklin St. Ansonia. (www.jenkinskingfh.com) In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The American Cancer Society, 1075 Chase Pkwy # 1075, Waterbury, CT 06708.