Ex-POW | Purple Heart

Elliott graduated from high school in Caldwell, NJ, in 1939. He married his high school sweetheart, Eleanor (Dolly) Bromley, in April 1943, shortly before departing for southern Italy with the 449th Bomb Group.

As a B-24 pilot in the US Army Air Corps, Elliott flew bombing missions over northern Italy. During his fifteenth mission in January 1944, his plane was shot down. Although he managed to bail out and open his parachute before the aircraft exploded, he was knocked unconscious by the fall. When he regained consciousness, he found himself surrounded by German soldiers.

Elliott spent 16 months as a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft I in Barth, Germany. During his captivity, he witnessed test flights of the first jet airplanes developed by Hitler’s regime. After the camp was liberated by Russian forces in April 1945, he returned to Caldwell, NJ. There, he owned and operated R. Christensen Hardware for 30 years and lived in nearby Roseland.

Elliott and Dolly had five children and eight grandchildren, who were frequent visitors to Canterbury, NH. The couple were avid members of a walking group at the Steeplegate Mall, loved to shop for antiques, and worked constantly to maintain their 1748 home.

Following Dolly’s death in November 2002, Elliott remained in his home, where he enjoyed visits from friends and neighbors—many of whom would drop by during cocktail hour. He loved drinking Manhattans and reminiscing about his family and his wartime experiences. Lovingly cared for by two devoted caretakers, Chris Conte and Debbie Bathalon, Elliott frequently referred to himself as “a lucky guy.”