As a 21-year-old he volunteered as quickly as he could following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
He was trained as a navigator and flew 30 missions over Germany in a B-17 bomber. As testament to his ability, he often was the lead navigator on those bombing runs. On one of those missions he was wounded and received the Purple Heart—one of his many war honors.
It was the mission he didn't fly, however, that had lasting impact. Another navigator needed one more mission to reach 30—the point at which he could go home—and asked my father-in-law to switch. That plane never came back.
For years he never talked about his war experiences. My only real early knowledge was that he was commander of the Air Force Reserves at Richards-Gebaur and as such we were able to have our wedding rehearsal dinner in the officers' club.
Fortunately, as he got older, he talked more of the war before he reached a point at which he only occasionally talked. Although fewer in the last year, there were flashes that reminded you of the kind, gentle and loving man he had been.
He was trained as a navigator and flew 30 missions over Germany in a B-17 bomber. As testament to his ability, he often was the lead navigator on those bombing runs. On one of those missions he was wounded and received the Purple Heart—one of his many war honors.
It was the mission he didn't fly, however, that had lasting impact. Another navigator needed one more mission to reach 30—the point at which he could go home—and asked my father-in-law to switch. That plane never came back.
For years he never talked about his war experiences. My only real early knowledge was that he was commander of the Air Force Reserves at Richards-Gebaur and as such we were able to have our wedding rehearsal dinner in the officers' club.
Fortunately, as he got older, he talked more of the war before he reached a point at which he only occasionally talked. Although fewer in the last year, there were flashes that reminded you of the kind, gentle and loving man he had been.
As a 21-year-old he volunteered as quickly as he could following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
He was trained as a navigator and flew 30 missions over Germany in a B-17 bomber. As testament to his ability, he often was the lead navigator on those bombing runs. On one of those missions he was wounded and received the Purple Heart—one of his many war honors.
It was the mission he didn't fly, however, that had lasting impact. Another navigator needed one more mission to reach 30—the point at which he could go home—and asked my father-in-law to switch. That plane never came back.
For years he never talked about his war experiences. My only real early knowledge was that he was commander of the Air Force Reserves at Richards-Gebaur and as such we were able to have our wedding rehearsal dinner in the officers' club.
Fortunately, as he got older, he talked more of the war before he reached a point at which he only occasionally talked. Although fewer in the last year, there were flashes that reminded you of the kind, gentle and loving man he had been.
He was trained as a navigator and flew 30 missions over Germany in a B-17 bomber. As testament to his ability, he often was the lead navigator on those bombing runs. On one of those missions he was wounded and received the Purple Heart—one of his many war honors.
It was the mission he didn't fly, however, that had lasting impact. Another navigator needed one more mission to reach 30—the point at which he could go home—and asked my father-in-law to switch. That plane never came back.
For years he never talked about his war experiences. My only real early knowledge was that he was commander of the Air Force Reserves at Richards-Gebaur and as such we were able to have our wedding rehearsal dinner in the officers' club.
Fortunately, as he got older, he talked more of the war before he reached a point at which he only occasionally talked. Although fewer in the last year, there were flashes that reminded you of the kind, gentle and loving man he had been.
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1ST LT US ARMY AIR FORCES
COLONEL US AIR FORCE
WORLD WAR II
KOREA
VIETNAM
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