Jack Bade: Sherburne County Flying Ace
Senior Class photo of Jack Bade, 1938. When I first arrived in Sherburne County I began to explore the history of the county through biography. I was developing my list of “profiles in courage” in Sherburne county, a type of historical/biographical exploration. Recently I was directed to the life of one man in Sherburne County that most assuredly should be on a list of “profiles in courage:” Jack A. Bade was born in 1920 in Minneapolis. His family moved to Elk River when he was still an infant. He grew up in Elk River. In high school he played football and basketball, and had the lead in the school play, Robin Hood. After he graduated in 1938, he attended the University of Minnesota majoring in engineering. For a time he worked at Honeywell Corporation before enlisting in the Army Air Corps. He received his commission and flight wings at Luke Airfield on July 26, 1942. He then joined the 44th fighter squadro...