Travis, known only as "Bilbo" in our family, was not only a hero to us but an American hero distinguishing himself many times during WWII. Sgt Yankie was a crew member of the notorious "Flying Rebel", and he was awarded the Air Medal for his notorious achievement in aerial combat in the Sicilian invasion and the Paratroop Drop over the Salerno Beachhead.
The Germans discovered their presence in the middle of the operation and opened up with everything they had in a futile attempt to prevent areturn trip of the flight to drop yet more Paratroopers into the front. They opened up with flak and machine gun fire but even with some damage and machine gun holes, the "Flying Rebel" returned to safety through miraculous maneuvers almost unscathed to fly again.
Travis was stationed in the Mediterranean Theatre of operations for almost a year prior to his movement to the European Theatre of Operations. T-Sgt Travis U. Yankie was the Crew Chief of the highly prized and well known flight team of the famed and successful "Flying Rebel". (Information provided by his cousin, Nancy Yankie.)
The Germans discovered their presence in the middle of the operation and opened up with everything they had in a futile attempt to prevent areturn trip of the flight to drop yet more Paratroopers into the front. They opened up with flak and machine gun fire but even with some damage and machine gun holes, the "Flying Rebel" returned to safety through miraculous maneuvers almost unscathed to fly again.
Travis was stationed in the Mediterranean Theatre of operations for almost a year prior to his movement to the European Theatre of Operations. T-Sgt Travis U. Yankie was the Crew Chief of the highly prized and well known flight team of the famed and successful "Flying Rebel". (Information provided by his cousin, Nancy Yankie.)
Travis, known only as "Bilbo" in our family, was not only a hero to us but an American hero distinguishing himself many times during WWII. Sgt Yankie was a crew member of the notorious "Flying Rebel", and he was awarded the Air Medal for his notorious achievement in aerial combat in the Sicilian invasion and the Paratroop Drop over the Salerno Beachhead.
The Germans discovered their presence in the middle of the operation and opened up with everything they had in a futile attempt to prevent areturn trip of the flight to drop yet more Paratroopers into the front. They opened up with flak and machine gun fire but even with some damage and machine gun holes, the "Flying Rebel" returned to safety through miraculous maneuvers almost unscathed to fly again.
Travis was stationed in the Mediterranean Theatre of operations for almost a year prior to his movement to the European Theatre of Operations. T-Sgt Travis U. Yankie was the Crew Chief of the highly prized and well known flight team of the famed and successful "Flying Rebel". (Information provided by his cousin, Nancy Yankie.)
The Germans discovered their presence in the middle of the operation and opened up with everything they had in a futile attempt to prevent areturn trip of the flight to drop yet more Paratroopers into the front. They opened up with flak and machine gun fire but even with some damage and machine gun holes, the "Flying Rebel" returned to safety through miraculous maneuvers almost unscathed to fly again.
Travis was stationed in the Mediterranean Theatre of operations for almost a year prior to his movement to the European Theatre of Operations. T-Sgt Travis U. Yankie was the Crew Chief of the highly prized and well known flight team of the famed and successful "Flying Rebel". (Information provided by his cousin, Nancy Yankie.)
