Community Corner
WWII Vet 'Whitey' Wright Values Freedom; He Fought For It, Too
The 90-year-old decorated Cupertino vet spoke to a Los Gatos middle school about his World War II experiences.
Cupertino resident and World War II Veteran Whitelaw “Whitey” Wright knows how precious freedom is, because he helped fight for it.
Wright, who will be 90 years old this Thanksgiving Day, flew 66 combat missions as a First Lieutenant for the United States Air Force during the war, his most notable mission flying over U.S. Army troops who invaded the shores of Normandy, France on the infamous D-Day mission.
“I had a ring-side seat,” he said. “We expected a big fight, and were told that the troops on the ground needed absolute head-cover as they approached Omaha Beach.”
Find out what's happening in Cupertinowith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Wright would earn five Air Medals, as well as the Distinguished Flying Cross, a medal awarded to members of the armed services who exhibit heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight, according to the medal’s Wikipedia Web site.
Wright was born in Winchester, Massachusetts, a town just northwest of Boston, and enlisted into the Air Force in 1941 at the age of 20. One year later, he was shipped overseas to England, where he was based with the 8th Air Force Division as the 55th Fighter Group.
Find out what's happening in Cupertinowith free, real-time updates from Patch.
He returned to Massachusetts and attended Tufts University with the funds from his federally-issued G.I. Bill where he earned a degree in mechanical engineering. Upon graduation, he married his wife Barbara in 1945.
Wright worked for two firms that specialized in developing chemical research instruments and was transferred to Cupertino in 1969, where he is still resides. He and Barabara have four children, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Although he doesn’t traditionally participate in Veterans Day activities, Wright spoke to a group of students last week at Raymond J. Fischer Middle School in Los Gatos, where he shared his experiences of D-Day and his time in the War.
As he lost six good friends in combat, he uses the Veteran’s Day holiday as a time to reflect on how lucky he is to survive the war.
“This day has a very special meaning for me, I think about how thankful I am to live a long and wonderful life, when so many didn’t,” said Wright. “And I realize how precious our freedom is.”
