Deaths: Russell Johnson "Gilligan's Island" and World War II Aviator

From Wikipedia.

I was saddened to hear this morning that we had lost two of my favorite actors from favorite TV sitcoms on Jan. 16th. Dave Madden played manager Reuben Kincaid on the "Partridge Family." Russell Johnson played the professor, Roy Hinckley on "Gilligan's Island" as his obituary said, always "within a coconut of finding a way off the island."

However, reading about him in Wikipedia, he was a decorated World War II aviation veteran.

He served in the war as a 2nd lieutenant and flew 44 combat missions on B-25 Mitchell twin engine medium bombers.

While navigating a B-25 in the 100th Bombardment Squadron, 42nd Bombardment Group, 13th Air Force, his plane and two other B-25s were shot down in the Philippines in March 1945 and ditched off the port of Zamboanga. He broke both his ankles and the radio man next to him was killed.

He received a Purple Heart for that, but also received the Air Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and three service stars and was discharged November 22, 1945. He was friends with Audie Murphy and appeared in three of his films.

The Island Will Never Be the Same. Nor Will Maryanne (I Always Hoped They'd get Together.)  . --GreGen