Chester Wachowicz (1923-2014) was born in Central Falls, RI. He left Cumberland High School in his junior year to help support his family. He joined the Civilian Conservation Corps, and when the war started he wanted to volunteer.

After getting his father’s permission, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and graduated from Aircraft Electrical Instrument Mechanic School. He joined the 54th Air Service Squadron of the 14th Air Force, first in Calcutta and then on to Kunming, China at the end of 1943. His primary duty was power turret and gunsight repair, but he flew a number of missions as a top turret or tail gunner in the B-25. He also flew out of Yangkai and Chungking. After the war he spent more than 60 years working for the Gilbane Building Company; his last job was the World War II Memorial. He was the only WWII veteran to actually work on the design and construction of the memorial. He lived in North Providence for many years before he died.