Emerald George Cutting was born September 28, 1923 in Welland Ontario, Canada to Edmund George Cutting (1882-1943) and Permilla Babcock (1891-1962). Both his parents are from Canada and they were married on March 9, 1910 in Ontario, Canada. His family moves to the U.S. in November 1928. The 1930 U.S. Census recorded Emerald was living on 23rd Street in Niagara Falls, NY, U.S.A. with his mother, father, and six siblings. Edmund Jr., Norman, Gertrude, Sherman, Permilla and Delores. He was the next to youngest. His father was a Watchman for an Abrasive Plant and his older brothers Edmund and Norman were also recorded on this census as working. This same 1930 U.S. Census reports the family all received their citizenship to the U.S. in 1928.

He attended La Salle High School in Niagara Falls class of 1941 but only for three years. Never graduating, he married Miss Reta Boyonton on Feb. 6, 1941. They had two children, Freddie and Judy Ann. His mother and father move to Country Club Road in Oneonta, NY sometime between 1940 and May 1943. A Family Tree in Ancestry recorded that his father dies in Oneonta and his mom then moved to Clarksburg,Virginia.

Emerald registered for the draft June 30, 1942 while still living in Niagara Falls, NY. He was working for the Carborundum (Acheson) Graphite Co. at the time. He was 5'-9 1/2” tall and weighed in at 148 pounds. He had blue eyes and red hair. He is drafted and enters the service on January 16, 1943. He received training at Greensboro, N.C., Amarillo Army Air Field and Pyote Air Field in Texas. During training that winter of 1943-44 he was admitted to the hospital for Influenza, discharged and then back in the hospital weeks later with Enterocolitis (food poisoning). After, he is sent to the Lincoln Air Force Base, Nebraska and then overseas in November 1944.

Assigned to the 509th Bomber Squadron, 351st Bomber Group, Heavy as a top turret gunner on a B-17 flying Fortress, Sgt. Cutting flew on six combat missions, winning the Army Air Medal for “meritorious achievement”. The 351st Bomb Group flew strategic bombing missions from their base at Polebrook, Northamptonshire, England.

He was killed on February 6, 1945 (his 4th anniversary) when the B-17G Flying Fortress #43-37595 he was on, piloted by Rheinhold W. Vergen, collided with #43-38080 over Lutton, near Oundle on approach to RAF Polebrook, Northamptonshire, England. He was awarded the Air Medal and Purple Heart and buried in Plot F Row 6 Grave 115 Cambridge American Cemetery Cambridge, England.

If you notice errors in this profile please contact Jim Greenberg at nez13820@gmail.com

Sources

Edmund George Cutting Family Tree, Ancestry.com, https://www.ancestryinstitution.com/family-tree/person/tree/102579016/person/400017338449/facts, accessed Nov. 6, 2022.

Emerald G. Cutting, American Air Museum in Britian, accessed at https://www.americanairmuseum.com/person/58350, Nov. 3, 2022.

Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed November 6, 2022), memorial page for Sgt Emerald G. Cutting(8 Sep 1923–6 Feb 1945), Find A Grave Memorial no. 56288969 , citing Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, Coton, South Cambridgeshire District, Cambridgeshire, England; Maintained by LTC Stephen R. Pain (contributor 56288969).

Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed November 6, 2022), memorial page for Edmund G. Cutting(1882–1943), Find A Grave Memorial no. 236981365, citing Oneonta Plains Cemetery, Oneonta, Otsego County, New York, USA ; Maintained by KimDe1NY (contributor 236981365).

Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed November 6, 2022), memorial page for Permilla Cutting(1892–1962), Find A Grave Memorial no. 236981314, citing Oneonta Plains Cemetery, Oneonta, Otsego County, New York, USA ; Maintained by KimDe1NY (contributor 236981365).

History of the Pyote Rattlesnake Bomber Base, Pyote Rattlesnake Bomber Base Museum, accessed at https://www.co.ward.tx.us/page/ward.Pyote.RattlesnakeMuseum, Sept. 3, 2022.

National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.;Manifests of Alien Arrivals at Buffalo, Lewiston, Niagara Falls, and Rochester, New York, 1902-1954; Record Group Title:Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787 - 2004; Record Group Number:85; Series Number:M1480; Roll Number:021

National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri;WWII Draft Registration Cards for New York State, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947; Record Group:Records of the Selective Service System, 147

Ontario, Canada, Select Marriages. Archives of Ontario, Toronto 

Our History, the history of the Carborundum Company, accessed at https://www.carbo.com/en-us/our-history, Sept. 3, 2022.

"U.S., School Yearbooks, 1880-2012"; School Name:LaSalle High School; Year:1940

Year:1930; Census Place:Niagara Falls, Niagara, New York; Page:32B; Enumeration District:0052; FHL microfilm:2341352

Year:1940; Census Place:Niagara, Niagara, New York; Roll:m-t0627-02696; Page:13B; Enumeration District:32-49