Mr.
Tilghman was born Nov. 16, 1923, in Washington, D.C.,
the son of the late George Davidson Tilghman and Monell
Crist Tilghman.
He
attended St. Mary's Elementary School, Fishburne Academy
and Pennsylvania State University. He received an architectural
degree from the Catholic University of America and a
second degree from its Construction Specifications Institute.
He was predominantly a self-employed architect in the
Washington, D.C., northern Virginia and Maryland areas.
He was one of only 3 men of his crew who survived their
29 May 1945 mission over Yokohoma - their 6th mission.
8 men made it out of the crippled B-29. One man was
so badly injured a rope was tied to his ripcord but
his chute never opened and he was never seen again.
Fred Dunn, was picked up first. George and crewmate
Joseph P. Miller spent over 30 hours in the vast pacific
before they were rescued. They had learned that a Japanese
boat had been sunk between Tilghman and Miller's position
in the water - they surmized that the other 4 men who
had bailout may have been aboard the Japanese boat.
George was the last living member of his crew.
He
was a member of the Annapolis Yacht Club, the Annapolis
Yacht Basin, the American Institute of Architects and
the Maryland Historical Trust. He was president of the
Construction Specification Institute and served on the
Board of Governors at the Calvert Marine Museum.
He
also was on the architectural review committee of St.
Leonard, MD, a member of St. John Vianney Catholic Church
in Prince Frederick. His interests also included sailing
and travel.
George
served as Treasurer of the 39th Bomb Group (VH) Association
from 1997 to present.
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