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Wearing his goatskin flight jacket, World War II B-24 pilot George Insley of Green reminisces at home about his past military career. Insley has been chosen to receive France's National Order of the Legion of Honor.
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ENLARGE
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George Insley of Green flew 48 missions in a B-24 bomber over Europe during World War II. Insley was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross three times, left, and nine air medals.
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ENLARGE
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The National Order of the Legion of Honor will be awarded to George Insley of Green next week in Portland.
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GREEN — Model airplanes hang from the ceiling, plane-themed movies sit near the stove and one wall bears the large picture of a B-24 Liberator, along with medals and George Insley's service cap.
His wife, Jeanne Insley, says the “aviation wall” in the 1912 home is dedicated to Insley's service in the U.S. Air Force's 44th Bomb Group, but memories of the veteran's flying days both as a serviceman World War II and as a bush pilot in South America reach far beyond just one wall.
Also across international lines. Next week, France will honor Insley, now 87, for helping free France from Nazi occupation.
Insley had little reason to envision European skies as a boy growing up in Douglas County. He first laid eyes on an airplane when one landed in a nearby field during his primary school years.
A rarity in the '30s, airplanes were heralded in radio shows and pop culture. Any time one flew overhead, everyone goosenecked to watch its path.
Insley was a child of the times and knew he wanted fly.
He wasn't alone.
All five Insley boys, born in the house on Little Valley Road, joined the Air Force. Four of them were in combat during World War II.
At 20, George Insley was the youngest of the 10-man B-24 Liberator crew flying 48 missions. The oldest on his crew was 27.
“This is the story of these guys' lives,” Jeanne Insley said.
French Knight
Dubbed the Greatest Generation by some, the young men who grew up in the Great Depression and went on to fight in World War II are a venerated group on U.S. soil, as well as in Europe.
In Portland next week, Consul General Pierre-François Mourier of the French Consulate in San Francisco will give Insley and two other Oregon veterans the Chevalier, or knight, Legion of Honor medal.
The National Order of the Legion of Honor was created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 to recognize civilians and soldiers and is the highest decoration France bestows. Chevalier is the first of five degrees in the order.
“We believe he's been some kind of hero because he participated in the war on all fronts ... ,” said Jacques de Noray, deputy consul and press attaché for the consulate. “We're trying to give (the medal) to those veterans who deserve it, and we felt Insley really deserved it.”
Insley — already decorated multiple times by the U.S. government — was amazed when he learned about the chevalier medal in May.
“I wasn't familiar with (the honor) and was surprised when they put me in for it,” he said of being nominated by his 44th Bomb Group Veterans Association.
Lee Aston, the association's awards and decorations director, said Insley flew more combat missions than anyone else in the 44th.
Aston nominated Insley and said 23 veterans from the 44th have received the French medal.
“He's a terrific pilot — I can't say enough good things about him,” Aston said, speaking by phone from his home in Georgia.
As it happens, Insley never touched foot on French soil during his three years in combat.
“But I flew over it,” he said with a smile on Wednesday afternoon at his home.
“I said, ‘Gee, it's too bad we didn't have to go to Paris,'” his wife recalled saying after the couple learned the news.
Purple Heart Corner
Insley remembers many of his missions in detail and still has his heavy, horse-hide flight jacket and helmet.
The first mission to Poland was the scariest, he recalled.
As the new pilot, Insley flew on the end of the 18-plane formation that received the heaviest fire when under attack.
“They called that Purple Heart Corner,” Jeanne Insley said.
Mission members were attacked twice. When the enemy fighters finally left the formation, Insley's engineer flipped the wrong switch and cut fuel to all the engines, dropping the plane out of formation and into what would have been a dangerous position had enemy fighters returned, Insley recalled.
“That was the roughest time I had, my very first mission,” he said.
The young pilot advanced quickly, reaching the rank of major before the end of his second tour in 1945, and was soon flying in lead positions.
In tribute to his timber roots and out of practicality, Insley chose to wear a pair of logging boots when he flew — just in case he needed to walk out of a crash scene.
Jeanne Insley said she'd heard those boots became a lucky charm to Insley's crew, which through two tours and all their combat missions together experienced only one combat-related wound.
“In 48 missions, I never had a single bullet in the plane from enemy fire,” Insley said, recounting near misses where he'd maneuver out of an enemy's sights just in time to watch dozens of shells puncture airspace he'd vacated.
His wife, Jeanne Insley, says the “aviation wall” in the 1912 home is dedicated to Insley's service in the U.S. Air Force's 44th Bomb Group, but memories of the veteran's flying days both as a serviceman World War II and as a bush pilot in South America reach far beyond just one wall.
Also across international lines. Next week, France will honor Insley, now 87, for helping free France from Nazi occupation.
Insley had little reason to envision European skies as a boy growing up in Douglas County. He first laid eyes on an airplane when one landed in a nearby field during his primary school years.
A rarity in the '30s, airplanes were heralded in radio shows and pop culture. Any time one flew overhead, everyone goosenecked to watch its path.
Insley was a child of the times and knew he wanted fly.
He wasn't alone.
All five Insley boys, born in the house on Little Valley Road, joined the Air Force. Four of them were in combat during World War II.
At 20, George Insley was the youngest of the 10-man B-24 Liberator crew flying 48 missions. The oldest on his crew was 27.
“This is the story of these guys' lives,” Jeanne Insley said.
French Knight
Dubbed the Greatest Generation by some, the young men who grew up in the Great Depression and went on to fight in World War II are a venerated group on U.S. soil, as well as in Europe.
In Portland next week, Consul General Pierre-François Mourier of the French Consulate in San Francisco will give Insley and two other Oregon veterans the Chevalier, or knight, Legion of Honor medal.
The National Order of the Legion of Honor was created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 to recognize civilians and soldiers and is the highest decoration France bestows. Chevalier is the first of five degrees in the order.
“We believe he's been some kind of hero because he participated in the war on all fronts ... ,” said Jacques de Noray, deputy consul and press attaché for the consulate. “We're trying to give (the medal) to those veterans who deserve it, and we felt Insley really deserved it.”
Insley — already decorated multiple times by the U.S. government — was amazed when he learned about the chevalier medal in May.
“I wasn't familiar with (the honor) and was surprised when they put me in for it,” he said of being nominated by his 44th Bomb Group Veterans Association.
Lee Aston, the association's awards and decorations director, said Insley flew more combat missions than anyone else in the 44th.
Aston nominated Insley and said 23 veterans from the 44th have received the French medal.
“He's a terrific pilot — I can't say enough good things about him,” Aston said, speaking by phone from his home in Georgia.
As it happens, Insley never touched foot on French soil during his three years in combat.
“But I flew over it,” he said with a smile on Wednesday afternoon at his home.
“I said, ‘Gee, it's too bad we didn't have to go to Paris,'” his wife recalled saying after the couple learned the news.
Purple Heart Corner
Insley remembers many of his missions in detail and still has his heavy, horse-hide flight jacket and helmet.
The first mission to Poland was the scariest, he recalled.
As the new pilot, Insley flew on the end of the 18-plane formation that received the heaviest fire when under attack.
“They called that Purple Heart Corner,” Jeanne Insley said.
Mission members were attacked twice. When the enemy fighters finally left the formation, Insley's engineer flipped the wrong switch and cut fuel to all the engines, dropping the plane out of formation and into what would have been a dangerous position had enemy fighters returned, Insley recalled.
“That was the roughest time I had, my very first mission,” he said.
The young pilot advanced quickly, reaching the rank of major before the end of his second tour in 1945, and was soon flying in lead positions.
In tribute to his timber roots and out of practicality, Insley chose to wear a pair of logging boots when he flew — just in case he needed to walk out of a crash scene.
Jeanne Insley said she'd heard those boots became a lucky charm to Insley's crew, which through two tours and all their combat missions together experienced only one combat-related wound.
“In 48 missions, I never had a single bullet in the plane from enemy fire,” Insley said, recounting near misses where he'd maneuver out of an enemy's sights just in time to watch dozens of shells puncture airspace he'd vacated.
A bombardier who survived a hit to the chest received the crew's only Purple Heart. The rest of the crew received other service medals.
Insley garnered three Distinguished Flying Cross and nine air medals.
For the young fighters, fear of death was a staple that some wrestled with throughout battle.
At first Insley had that fear, too, but a life-altering experience early in war allowed him to trust his gut and instruments and do the work at hand. After receiving the directions for his third mission, planned for Berlin, he wrestled with thoughts of his own mortality.
“I decided I need a little more help and accepted the lord as savior,” he said. “From then on the lord took all my fear from me and ... I never had any problems — even in bad positions, I never really had the fear.”
Insley said that peace and guidance followed him through the war and continued when he flew uncharted territory as a bush pilot in South America for Wycliffe Bible Translators International.
It was in Peru that Insley met his wife-to-be, who worked in literacy.
The couple stayed with Wycliffe and raised their three children in Peru and Brazil before coming back to Insley's hometown in the mid-'80s.
Next week, two children and most of the nine grandchildren will accompany the couple to the Portland ceremony as Insley is again recognized as a hero.
• You can reach reporter DD Bixby at 957-4211 or by e-mail at dbixby@nrtoday.com.
Insley garnered three Distinguished Flying Cross and nine air medals.
For the young fighters, fear of death was a staple that some wrestled with throughout battle.
At first Insley had that fear, too, but a life-altering experience early in war allowed him to trust his gut and instruments and do the work at hand. After receiving the directions for his third mission, planned for Berlin, he wrestled with thoughts of his own mortality.
“I decided I need a little more help and accepted the lord as savior,” he said. “From then on the lord took all my fear from me and ... I never had any problems — even in bad positions, I never really had the fear.”
Insley said that peace and guidance followed him through the war and continued when he flew uncharted territory as a bush pilot in South America for Wycliffe Bible Translators International.
It was in Peru that Insley met his wife-to-be, who worked in literacy.
The couple stayed with Wycliffe and raised their three children in Peru and Brazil before coming back to Insley's hometown in the mid-'80s.
Next week, two children and most of the nine grandchildren will accompany the couple to the Portland ceremony as Insley is again recognized as a hero.
• You can reach reporter DD Bixby at 957-4211 or by e-mail at dbixby@nrtoday.com.
