Leading Aircraftman Joseph Vincent Bernard Caza
Survivor of WW2
Date of Death:
Service Biography
Joseph Vincent Bernard Caza was born at Huntingdon, Quebec, on 6 June 1923. Before the war he worked as an office clerk for Defence Industries Limited at Nitro, Quebec. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force at Montreal on 5 October 1942 and trained as an airframe mechanic, progressing from Aircraftman 2nd Class to Aircraftman 1st Class and Leading Aircraftman. He embarked from Halifax on 22 October 1943 and served overseas for 656 qualifying days. After arriving in the United Kingdom he served with 129 Airfield Headquarters and later with 6168 S.E. and 6444 S.E. He landed in France on 26 June 1944, and his campaign records associate his Northwest Europe service with 39 Reconnaissance Wing following the Second British Army. His decorations included the 1939–45 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal, and Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Clasp. He returned to Canada in 1945 and was released at Lachine, Quebec, on 17 October 1945 after 1,109 qualifying days of service. After the war he attended McGill University and served with the McGill University Canadian Officers' Training Corps.
General Information
Conflict:
WW2
Regimental No.:
R194345
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Air Force
Regiment:
Royal Canadian Air Force
Battalion:
RCAF overseas service; Fitter II(A), Group 1
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Huntingdon, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
19 years 3 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
22 years 4 months
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
59 years 1 month
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Office clerk
Next of Kin:
Elmer Caza, father, Huntingdon, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
34 Boucher Street, Huntingdon, Quebec
Religion:
Roman Catholic
Place of Enlistment:
Montreal, Quebec
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 6.0 in / 168 cm
Weight:
117 lbs / 53 kg
Chest:
35.0 in / 89 cm
Expansion:
3.0 in / 8 cm
Marital Status:
Single
Prior Military Experience:
No
Saw Service in:
Europe
Place of Discharge:
Lachine, Quebec
Discharge Type:
Regular/End of Service
Discharge Notes:
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
1108 days in service
Buried at:
Images
Leading Aircraftman Joseph Vincent Bernard Caza
Ranks
| Conflict |
Rank |
Regiment |
Branch |
Unit |
Company |
Date From |
Date To |
| WW2 |
Leading Aircraftman |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
RCAF overseas service; Fitter II(A), Group 1 |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Aircraftman 1st Class |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Aircraftman 2nd Class |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
|
|
|
Awards
| Conflict |
Award |
Action |
Date of Award |
Date of Citation |
Source |
| WW2 |
1939-45 Star |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
France and Germany Star |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Defence Medal |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Clasp |
|
|
|
|
Service Chronology
1923-06-06 — Huntingdon, Quebec — Born.
1942-10-05 — Montreal, Quebec / Royal Canadian Air Force — Enlisted as Aircraftman 2nd Class.
1942-10-05 — Montreal, Quebec / No. 13 Recruiting Centre — Taken on strength of No. 13 Recruiting Centre.
1943-01-15 — Montreal, Quebec / No. 3 Training Centre — Transferred from No. 13 Recruiting Centre to No. 3 Training Centre.
1943-02-08 — Lachine, Quebec / No. 5 Manning Depot — Transferred to No. 5 Manning Depot.
1943-02-18 — Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec / St. Anne's Hospital — Admitted with acute bronchitis.
1943-02-24 — Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec / St. Anne's Hospital — Discharged, completely recovered; returned to unit.
1943-04-01 — Canada / No. 1 Technical Training School — Transferred to No. 1 Technical Training School.
1943-06-30 — Canada / Royal Canadian Air Force — Promoted to Aircraftman 1st Class.
1943-07-01 — Canada / No. 1 RCAF Technical Training School — Transferred to No. 1 RCAF Technical Training School.
1943-07-02 — Lachine, Quebec / No. 5 Manning Depot — Returned to No. 5 Manning Depot.
1943-10-01 — Canada / Royal Canadian Air Force — Promoted to Leading Aircraftman; fitter/airframe-mechanic classification recorded.
1943-10-12 — Halifax, Nova Scotia / No. 1 Y Depot — Taken on strength for overseas movement.
1943-10-22 — Halifax, Nova Scotia / Royal Canadian Air Force — Embarked for overseas service.
1943-10-30 — United Kingdom / Royal Canadian Air Force — Disembarked in the United Kingdom.
1943-10-31 — United Kingdom / No. 3 RCAF Personnel Reception Centre — Taken on strength of No. 3 RCAF Personnel Reception Centre.
1943-11-11 to 1943-11-16 — United Kingdom / 129 Airfield Headquarters — Transferred from No. 3 RCAF Personnel Reception Centre.
1943-12-17 — United Kingdom / 127 A.F. — Attached from 129 Airfield Headquarters to 127 A.F.
1944 (undated) — Northwest Europe / 6444 S.E. — Treated as sick for a furuncle of the left hip; no admission recorded.
1944-01-30 — United Kingdom / 127 A.F. and 129 Airfield Headquarters — Temporary duty involving 127 A.F. and 129 Airfield Headquarters.
1944-01-31 to 1944-02-06 — United Kingdom / Royal Canadian Air Force — Granted seven days leave.
1944-03-21 — Odiham, England / 129 A.F. — Attached from 129 A.F. to Odiham.
1944-04-05 — United Kingdom / Royal Canadian Air Force — Authorized Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Maple Leaf.
1944-06-25 — United Kingdom / 129 Airfield Headquarters — Embarked for Continental Europe.
1944-06-26 — France / Royal Canadian Air Force — Disembarked in France.
1944-07-01 — France / 6168 S.E. — Posted from 129 Airfield Headquarters to 6168 S.E.
1944-07-01 to 1944-07-08 — Northwest Europe / Royal Canadian Air Force — Granted seven days leave.
1944-07-24 — Northwest Europe / 39 Reconnaissance Wing, Second British Army — Campaign-service period with 39 Reconnaissance Wing began.
1944-08-29 — Northwest Europe / 6444 S.E. — Transferred from 6168 S.E. to 6444 S.E.
1944-10-01 — Northwest Europe / Royal Canadian Air Force — Trade/classification changed to 'A Imp'.
1945-05-08 — Northwest Europe / 39 Reconnaissance Wing, Second British Army — Recorded campaign-service period ended.
1945-08-01 — Northwest Europe / ACRF 'R' Depot — Transferred from 6444 S.E. for repatriation.
1945-08-07 — Overseas / Royal Canadian Air Force — Completed 656 qualifying overseas days.
1945-08-10 — Overseas / Royal Canadian Air Force — Defence Medal qualifying overseas-service period ended.
1945-10-09 — Mountain View, Ontario / RCAF Station Mountain View — Posted to No. 2 Release Centre for release processing.
1945-10-10 — Lachine, Quebec / No. 2 Release Centre — Reported to No. 2 Release Centre.
1945-10-17 — Canada / Royal Canadian Air Force — Released on demobilization; transferred to RCAF Reserve.
1945-10-17 — Lachine, Quebec / Royal Canadian Air Force — Released on demobilization; transferred to RCAF Reserve.
1948-03-23 — Montreal, Quebec / McGill University COTC — Taken on strength of McGill University COTC.
1948-07-19 — Valcartier, Quebec / McGill University COTC — Sent to Queen Mary Veterans' Hospital for treatment.
1948-08 — Montreal, Quebec / Queen Mary Veterans' Hospital — Surgical treatment for pilonidal sinus.
Notes
Born at Huntingdon, Quebec, on 6 June 1923. Roman Catholic. Before enlistment he worked as an office clerk for Defence Industries Limited at Nitro, Quebec. His personnel counselling record describes 26 months of RCAF training/employment as an Air Frame Mechanic 'A'. At release he was 22 years old, 5 feet 6 inches tall, with medium complexion, blue eyes and brown hair; no visible marks or scars were recorded. His RCAF record lists no previous military service. He later attended McGill University and served with the McGill University Canadian Officers' Training Corps. In July-August 1948 he was treated at Queen Mary Veterans' Hospital for a pilonidal sinus, including surgical excision.
[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]
Born June 6th, 1923
enlistd in the R.C.A.F. at Montreal, on August 31st, 1942
BIRTH 6 JUNE 1923 • Huntingdon, Le Haut-Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada DEATH 5 AUGUST 1982 • Riverside Township, New Jersey
atip Request confirmation number EA2026_0171710
Additional Service Notes
Served in the Royal Canadian Air Force from 5 October 1942 until release on 17 October 1945, a total of 1,109 qualifying service days. He progressed from Aircraftman 2nd Class to Aircraftman 1st Class and Leading Aircraftman and qualified as Fitter II(A), Group 1. He embarked at Halifax on 22 October 1943 and had 656 qualifying days of overseas service, disembarking in the United Kingdom on 30 October 1943. He served with 129 Airfield Headquarters, transferred to 6168 S.E. after entering France, and transferred to 6444 S.E. on 29 August 1944. Medal-qualification records associate his Northwest Europe service with 39 Reconnaissance Wing following the Second British Army. On 1 August 1945 he transferred from 6444 S.E. to ACRF 'R' Depot for repatriation. He was released at Lachine, Quebec, on 17 October 1945 on demobilization.
Additional Next of Kin Notes
Father: Elmer Caza, Huntingdon, Quebec. COTC record gives home address as 34 Boucher Street, Huntingdon.
Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-09-16 20:51:01
by: marc
