USAAC TSGT Cecil Lowe Attison was born in Missville, Alabama on May 18, 1923, the son of Samuel Hubbert Attison (1893-1954) and Gussie Lee Lowe (1891-1957). His father supported his family as a locomotive engineer for the Frisco railroad and provided a home at 809 East Strong Street. For a time, all was well with the Attison family, then came Pearl Harbor.
Cecil dropped out of high school and enlisted in the US Army Air Corps on November 30, 1942 at Ft. McClellan, AL. Most likely, he was influenced by his older brother who had graduated from Pensacola High School in 1938 and spent two years in college. From there, Samuel Hubert Attison Jr. had enlisted in the USAAC on October 2, 1939. In the meantime, Cecil was sent to Keesler Air Base to the B-24 mechanical school and graduated in May 1943. He was also trained as a gunner as a secondary skill. Once all the training was complete, he was assigned to the 703rd Bomb Squadron of the 445th Bomber Group. By 1944, the squadron was based in England and flying bombing missions over Europe.
Their commanding officer was none other than the famous Hollywood actor Jimmy Stewart who would add to his fame in the Xmas 1946 movie "It's a Wonderful Life." In this capacity, he would guide the squadron from December 1943 to March 1944. As to Attison, he was stationed in England and assigned to the bomber called "Billy Babe" as a top turret gunner with SSgt William K. Timmons their tail gunner, and 2Lt. Ernest H. Hutton their bombardier. The pilot of Billy Babe (tail #42-7523) was Earle G. Metcalf from Connecticut who revved up his engines on the morning of February 2, 1944 and raced down the runway to lift off heading for Germany. Over their target, they were struck by ground fire and severely damaged. Trying to make it home rather than bail out, they flew over the North Sea until forced to ditch into the water. The crew was never seen again. His family received the telegram but were told there would be no funeral.
Sadly, eighteen days after his death, the 8th Air Force began a five-day bombing mission that cost them 357 bombers shot down plus 28 fighters and over 2,000 crewmen killed or captured.
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