GEaR’s Frank Marley was honored to recently interview John Willcox the son of Leonard Willcox who served on the Cutter Northland during the daring rescue mission of the downed B17 crew by John Pritchard and Benjamin Bottoms.

Leonard was born in the sleepy town of Meriden, Connecticut, and attended The Teachers College of Connecticut before enlisting in USCG while in New York City in 1941 after being turned away by the U.S. Navy. He requested “sea service” and was sent to Boston where he was assigned to the USCG Cutter Northland from February 1942-February 1944 as a Signalman.

There is limited documentation about life on the Northland as the crew was highly discouraged from keeping a journal while onboard, however, Leonard was an ardent storyteller and shared many of his Ice Patrol stories with his family and friends.

One of the stories often shared was of the loss of the J2F Grumman crew (pilot John Pritchard and radioman Benjamin Bottoms) and Army B17 radio operator Loren Howarth. The loss of “two great guys” as Leonard called them had a dramatic on the Northland’s crew causing the “ship (to be) silent”.

Upon returning to the U.S. from the Ice Patrols Leonard was stationed at Ellis Island. He told himself that if he made it back from the war alive that he would give back to the community. In honoring this self-imposed commitment he became an industrial arts shop teacher. It is with great admiration that GEaR honors Leonard Willcox and the crew of the Northland this Memorial Day for their selfless service.