Eastbayri.com

BARRINGTON — The Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame will induct six new members, present a seldom-given President’s Award and recognize the service of two others at a ceremony and dinner to be held at the Varnum Armory in East Greenwich on Feb. 4.

The six inductees are Roland E. Stumpff, LTC James W. Lent, Jr. USMC (Ret), Parker S. Dupouy, Captain James R. Henderson USN (Ret), Pasco “Pat” Melone, and Robert T. Murphy. (Only Roland E. Stumpff and LTC James W. Lent, Jr. are still living.)

The President’s Award will be given to Newport-born Michael Gold who was a B-17 navigator with the 447th Bombardment Group. His flak-damaged plane was shot down by German fighters on just his fourth combat mission (Jan. 30, 1944). Two crew members were killed by gunfire, and the others bailed out.

Mr. Gold, who now lives in Barrington with his wife Linda, faced the difficulties and deprivations of Nazi POW camps with the added burden of being not just a bomber crewman, but also a Jewish bomber crewman.

Following the Battle of the Bulge, he and other Jewish flyers as well as a few Tuskegee Airmen, were put into a “ghetto” barracks. It was here that Mr. Gold experienced his greatest anxiety and fear.

Recently Mr. Gold, a practicing obstetrician for 40 years, was diagnosed with PTSD relating to his World War II experiences and captivity.

“You try to sweep those things under the carpet and assume these things never happened. I came home; I have a brother who is 10 or 11 years younger. He wanted to know all about it. I couldn’t talk about it. I was diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.) I had the nightmares. It’s only in the past 10 years or so I’ve opened up and talked about it,” he said during a 2010 interview with the Times.

He was one of three subjects of a book, “Soldier From The War Returning,” by Thomas Childers, which belies the myth that the “Greatest Generation” was immune to post-traumatic stress issues. Since his retirement in 1999 he has been attending P.T.S.D. meetings at the Veterans Administration with other World War II veterans. He was selected to train to become a facilitator to work with veterans from all wars.

Now 91, he continues to meet with the Korean Veterans PTSD group weekly under the supervision of a V.A. therapist.

Anyone interested in attending the Feb. 4 event can purchase a ticket by e-mailing riahof@aol.com, or logging on to riahof.org or calling 398-1000 or 831-8696. Reception starts at 6 p.m., dinner at 7.