Lost Without a Trace: Eugene Edward Chouiniere 1923-1942 and Allen, Parkyn, Vandervoort, Guichard and too many more

This story was originally posted April 2011.

The Chouiniere family of Waterford, NY is a  large family.  Officially the Chouinieres are "distant extended family" to the families written about on this blog....through marriage...Etta Wills, Arthur St Hilaire, his cousin Lea St Hilaire, her mother Rosalie Chouiniere.   Young Eugene Chouiniere was a member of that family and I want to share his story because there isn't enough information in Waterford, Cohoes and in the internet community about him, the bombing missions he and others flew in World War II.  Perhaps because he flew for the Brits and Canadians, we here in New York seem to be less aware of his story and sacrifice.

Eugene Edward Chouiniere
in Cohoes, NY

Eugene Chouniere with Lea St Hilaire
Uncle, Niece, and Childhood Playmates

On the night of November 25th, 1942 eight men of the Royal Canadian Air Force went missing on a mission flying over Europe.  Five of the men were:


Alfred Joseph Parkyn, Pilot Officer, J/16080 from New Jersey, pilot

William John Vandervoort, Warrant Officer Class II, R/74630 RCAF from British Columbia, bomb aimer

James McGregor Allen, Flight Sergeant, R/93188 from Toronto, Ontario, wireless operator

James Louis Guichard, Warrant Officer Class II, R/83204 from Detroit, Michigan,

and finally
Eugene Edward Chouiniere from Cohoes and Waterford

The plane was an Avro Lancaster ... a heavy bomber made by Avro, a British aircraft manufacturer

Avro Lancaster Bomber
"A heavy bomber"

I do not know how Americans Parklyn and Guichard came to serve in the Canadian forces, but I do know the story of Eugene Chouiniere because Lea Langlois neé St Hilaire told it to me.   Eugene was from Northside in Waterford; he was quite young when both his parents died.  According to Lea, he was eight years old when he came to live with his older sister, Rosalie's family in Cohoes.  Despite Gene being her uncle, he and Lea were the same age and played together, fished together and hunted rabbits - together. The household spoke French and English. Lea's grandfather had a farm in the area of Cohoes that is still called "The Orchard" section of town. Gene's sister, Rosalie St Hilaire neé  Chouiniere became his surrogate mother, Alfred St Hilaire his foster father.

Then when he was still 17 years old, Gene wanted to join the US army and went to the recruiter.  He was told he was too young and should finish his high schooling and then join. Gene couldn't wait so he jumped on a train from Cohoes to somewhere in Québec where he easily enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force.
He didn't tell anyone where he was going when he left Cohoes.  When he returned, Lea and the family were stunned to learn he joined up in Canada!

Eugene Chouiniere was nineteen years old when he, the pilot and crew aboard the Lancaster  went missing without a trace over Haselunne, Germany. 

Presumed missing, casualties of the great war, never found, there were no bodies to place in a national cemetery or sacred ground.  However, they were memorialized in a special place at Runnymeade, England: Air Forces Memorial, Runnymede Those of 207 Squadron who have No Known Grave, WWII.

Silhouette of Lancaster Bomber