Carl A. Spaatz
Posted by: 
Gosffo
N 40° 19.906 W 075° 38.498
18T E 445496 N 4464778
Bombs away!
Waymark Code: WM7RE
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 02/18/2006
Views: 30
Marker Text:
Aviation pioneer. Born in Boyertown, June 28, 1891. A graduate of West Point, 1914, and a pilot in France in World War I. He rose to the rank of Brigadier General, 1940, and General, 1945. During World War II he was commander of the U.S. 8th Air Force and the U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe. First Chief of Staff of the newly independent U.S. Air Force, 1947-48. He died July 14, 1974.
Carl A. (Tooey) Spatz was born in Boyertown, Pennsylvania. He added an extra "a" in his name. (at a request by his wife and daughters, so people would pronounce his name correctly)
He served all over the world and was in the fast lane of promotions. He served in Mexico, France (WWI), France (WWII), England, North Africa, Italy, Europe and Japan.
Spaatz was the only Gereral who was present at the surrender of Germany in Reims, at Berlin when Germany surrendered to the Russians and on the battleship Missouri when Japan surrendered.
He made a few controversial decisions. One was to insist on daylight missions over Germany and another was he believed in bombing the oil plants not just the railroad lines to them. He argued with Dwight D. Eisenhouwer about military issues on several occasions. After the war Eisenhower stated that Carl Spaatz and Omar Bradley where the 2 American officers who had contributed the most to the Victory in Europe.
He was also in command of the bombing raids over Japan's and the atomic bomb drops on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Jan. 1 to Jan. 7, 1929, Spaatz and his fellow officer, Captain Ira Eaker, set an aviation record by keep the plane "Question Mark" in the air for 150 hours.
So to log your find, fly on over to Boyertown and take a pic of you and the sign.
Marker Name: Carl A. Spaatz
County: Berks
Date Dedicated: 06/27/1991
Marker Type: Roadside
Location: Pa. 562 (S. Reading Ave.) at W. 2nd St., Boyertown
Category: Military, Military Post-Civil War
Website: Not listed
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