|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
U.S. Medal of Freedom Recipient Wilfrid 'Wop' Reid May
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| |
| |
U.S. Medal of Freedom Recipient Wilfrid 'Wop' Reid May
Wop May awarded the Medal of Freedom with Bronze Palm by the US Government in 1947.
CITATION:
Mr. Wilfrid Reid May, Canadian Civilian, performed meritorious services for the United States Army Air Forces from January 1942 to January 1946. Mr. May, serving in the capacity of Superintendent of the Air Observer’s School at Edmonton Municipal Airport and later as District Manager of Canadian Pacific Airlines, voluntarily loaned the personnel and the facilities of his school to assure the delivery of aircraft to the Aleutians and Alaska without delay. He conceived the idea of aerial rescue crews for rescue of flyers in the bush area, and after developing a trained parachute squad he furnished a rescue service indiscriminately to Americans and Canadians thus saving the lives of many of our fliers. In so do doing he fulfilled the highest traditions of the Dominion of Canada.
BADGE: Circular badge which has the profile of the top of the Statue of Freedom facing left, with the words: FREEDOM inscribed below. The reverse has the Liberty Bell in the center, surrounded by the inscription: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
RIBBON: Red with four narrow white stripes toward the center.
1. Gold Palm, equivalent to the Legion of Merit, Chief Commander
2. Silver Palm, equivalent to the Legion of Merit, Commander
3. Bronze Palm, equivalent to the Legion of Merit, Officer and Legionnaire.
4. Without palm, equivalent to the Bronze Star Medal, When awarded to citizens of the United States, it was awarded without palm.
Wilfrid Reid May was born April 20, 1896 at Carberry, Manitoba. His father owned & operated A.E. May & Co. Carriages and Implements. The family moved to Edmonton in 1902, arriving by train at Strathcona, travelling by horse & wagon to the Saskatchewan River where they took Walters Ferry to Edmonton - the trip from Strathcona to Edmonton took a full day - you can drive it now in 5 minutes!
On the way to Edmonton the family visited family friends. 2 year old Mary Lumsden was told to say hello to her cousin Wilfrid - she tried but the name came out "Woppie", which was soon shortened to "Wop" and the name stuck for the rest of his life.
On February 8, 1916 Wop May joined the Canadian Army - the 202 Edmonton Sportsman’s Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, and took his initial training in Calgary, Alberta. Within a very short time he held the rank of Sergeant and was a Machine Gun Instructor, and later a Range Firing Instructor.
The Battalion was shipped overseas in 1917, and at that time he & his friend Ray Ross applied to the Royal Flying Corps. Their first introductory flight was at Northolt Aerodrome (London, England) in a Bristol "Fighter" - on landing an R.E.8 landed on top of them destroying both aircraft - nobody was hurt!
Wop was discharged from the Canadian Army on October 24, 1917. On his Discharge Certificate it is noted that the reason for discharge was "in consequence of Commission in the Imperial Army dated October 25, 1917.
Initial Training took place at the R.F.C. School of Instruction, Acton (London) starting October 27, 1917, the aircraft was a Caudron G.III. After 3 hours 29 minutes of instruction his first solo was on the 17th of November 1917.
A more thorough history of this aviation pioneer visit WopMay.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
Medal History
