Rev ernest franklin biography

Who were the players in those early journeys to racial dialogue which made stops in Gloucester and Mathews?
Nation and state
Dr. Robert Russa Moton, 1867-1935; born in Amelia County, Moton graduated from Hampton Institute and after entering a career in higher education, was named president of Tuskegee Institute in 1915. He had married as his second wife Jennie Dee Booth of Gloucester in 1908. He built Holly Knoll in Gloucester in 1935 and resigned from Tuskegee due to failing health the same year. He died in 1940. He is buried at Hampton University.
Harry Flood Byrd, 1887-1966, was known late in his life as the architect of Virginia’s Massive Resistance against integration of public schools. But in 1920, he was a senator in the Virginia General Assembly and rising fast in state politics. He was elected governor in 1925 and at this time, according to the Wikipedia article, became involved in the Interracial commission. Byrd went on to the U.S. Senate in 1933, serving until 1965.
The Rev...

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Pic: 49 Squadron Association.

Sgt C E Franklin DFM
Bomb aimer

Lancaster serial number: ED886/G

Call sign: AJ-O

Third wave. Only aircraft to attack Ennepe Dam. Mine dropped successfully, but failed to breach dam.

Charles Ernest Franklin was born in West Ham, London on 12 November 1915, one of the seven children of Albert and May Franklin.

He joined the RAF in 1940, and qualified as an observer. In April 1942, he was posted to 49 Squadron. Altogether, he flew on 28 operations in this squadron, some of the time with Bill Townsend but also with other pilots. Unusually, he was recommended for the DFM before he had finished his first tour, with the citation noting his “marked singleness of purpose in his determination only to bomb the correct target, involving has it frequently has done several runs to identify it positively before releasing his bombs.” The award of the medal came through two days after the Dams Raid itself.

In March 1943, Franklin was offered the chance to transfer to 617 Squadron with the rest of Townsend’s crew. He took his place in the bomb aimer’s compartment on the raid, but had to wait until the crew reached the Ennepe Dam sometime after 0300. His job was made much more difficult as a result of the violent shudder caused by the rotating min

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