I'd expect the Memorial Day service will happen today at the Fern Township cemetery in Hubbard county Minnesota just like it was done the 6 years I lived there. The names of the war dead will be remembered and read out loud.
When my dad was at the age I am now, he asked me to remember his crew as his memory was going. My dad trained with a B17 crew as a radioman. I’m not sure why but he volunteered to be a ball turret gunner when they got to England. He still considered the guys he trained with for much of a year to be his crew. On may 21, 1943 the 324th squadron of the 91st bomb group launched 7 bombers on a mission to bomb the sub pens at Willemshaven Germany. 1 aborted and 6 proceeded as part of a larger formation.3 of the 6 were shot down by enemy fighters before they reached the target. Dad from his ball turret saw his crew go down in flames. For Tsgt Roger H .M I remember ; Lt. Norbert Koll, Lt Wayne Buck, Lt Joseph Ferry, Lt Edwin Bruton, Tsgt Albert zavaril, Sgt Alfredo Davila, Sgt guy Watt, Sgt Elwin Roberts and Ssgt. Bobby Abt, Ssgt William Calligan. 2 of these guys actually got out and were POW,s for the rest of the war. Bobby Abt got out of the ball turret and escaped and Lt Ferry, the navigator who was badly wounded and incapacitated. Lt Bruton bombardier, also wounded, managed to push Lt Ferry out the nose hatch. Lt Bruton didnt get out himself. My dad held Edwin Bruton to be a particular friend. It pleases me to sign Tsgt Joe as its a rank I shared with my Father.
I'd expect the Memorial Day service will happen today at the Fern Township cemetery in Hubbard county Minnesota just like it was done the 6 years I lived there.
ReplyDeleteThe names of the war dead will be remembered and read out loud.
When my dad was at the age I am now, he asked me to remember his crew as his memory was going. My dad trained with a B17 crew as a radioman. I’m not sure why but he volunteered to be a ball turret gunner when they got to England. He still considered the guys he trained with for much of a year to be his crew. On may 21, 1943 the 324th squadron of the 91st bomb group launched 7 bombers on a mission to bomb the sub pens at Willemshaven Germany. 1 aborted and 6 proceeded as part of a larger formation.3 of the 6 were shot down by enemy fighters before they reached the target. Dad from his ball turret saw his crew go down in flames. For Tsgt Roger H .M I remember ; Lt. Norbert Koll, Lt Wayne Buck, Lt Joseph Ferry, Lt Edwin Bruton, Tsgt Albert zavaril, Sgt Alfredo Davila, Sgt guy Watt, Sgt Elwin Roberts and Ssgt. Bobby Abt, Ssgt William Calligan. 2 of these guys actually got out and were POW,s for the rest of the war. Bobby Abt got out of the ball turret and escaped and Lt Ferry, the navigator who was badly wounded and incapacitated. Lt Bruton bombardier, also wounded, managed to push Lt Ferry out the nose hatch. Lt Bruton didnt get out himself. My dad held Edwin Bruton to be a particular friend. It pleases me to sign Tsgt Joe as its a rank I shared with my Father.
ReplyDeleteNot forgotten...
DeleteThank-you for sharing. Heroes. Every one of them....including your dad.
DeleteThank you for remembering!
ReplyDelete