George R. Ellison, age 25, from Pittsylvania County Danville, Virginia .
Spouse: Ruth R. Ellison
Children: George Jr., 4
Service era: World War II
Schools: Vanderbilt University
Date of death: Sunday, March 5, 1944
Death details: On July 9, 2001, the Central Identification Laboratory Hawaii (CILHI, now DPAA) identified the remains of Second Lieutenant George R. Ellison, missing from World War II. Second Lieutenant Ellison entered the U.S. Army Air Forces from Virginia and served in the 319th Bombardment Squadron, 90th Bombardment Group (Heavy). On March 5, 1944, he was the bombardier aboard a B-24D Liberator (serial number 42-41135) nicknamed “Cold Steel” that took off from Nadzab, New Guinea, for a bombing mission over Hansa Bay, New Guinea. The bomber was not heard from after takeoff. Cold Steel crashed for unknown reasons, killing 2LT Ellison and the other nine crew members aboard. The aircraft remained missing until a group of young explorers found its wreckage in 1979 near the village of Tauta, high in the Finisterre Mountains of Papua New Guinea. The site was rediscovered and reported to CILHI in 1989. Later that year a CILHI team investigated the wreckage and recovered human remains. CILHI scientists used laboratory analysis and circumstantial evidence to identify 2LT Ellison.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Danville Register and Bee (1946)