On Aug. 28, 2005, Wade Hull died peacefully in his Clackamas home with many of his loving family members present. Born Harold Wade to Henry and Nell Hull in Wasco on Jan. 9, 1922, Mr. Hull and his family moved to Portland while he was a young child. Wade graduated from Washington High School and attended Multnomah College for two years. He worked at his father's automobile repair shop on Couch Street in Portland. Later, he worked at the Portland Shipyards along side his high school buddies.

In 1942, like many of his peers, Wade enlisted in the Amy Air Corps to defend our country against the threat of German and Japanese occupation in World War II.

Wade was commissioned to the 8th Air Force/466th Bomb Group, stationed in Attlebridge, England where he successfully flew 28 missions as an aerial nose gunner on the B-24 Liberator.

Injured by shrapnel in the arm over Biarritz, France, and later in the face over Saarbrucken, Germany, this staff sergeant was the recipient of two Purple Hearts; one with three Oak Clusters and one with a single cluster. His other medals include four Air Medals for his tour of flying, a Good Conduct Medal and The Distinguished Flying Cross. On D-Day, Wade was on a bombing mission to the coast of France near Cherbourg, and dropped our bombs just minutes before the landing boats reached the beaches. He recalls never seeing so many boats before. After active duty, Wade used his time and resources, including his teletyping skills, to help with communications overseas.

In his 83 years Wade settled into a full life in the cities of Portland, Milwaukie, Wilsonville and Clackamas. He took over his father's automobile service, and later worked and retired at Fred Meyer's warehouse. He successfully raised three children, four stepchildren and loved their spouses, children and friends. Although locations changed throughout the years, Wade could always be found each morning having coffee with his friends and "solving the world's problems," as he so endearingly put it.

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