32 Missions

This is Michael. I met him today at the Sea Cliff Memorial Day parade, just by chance. He was a B-17 bomber pilot in the Second World War, and flew 32 missions, many over Germany, including the Shweinfurt raids. The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engine heavy bomber which was used to attack strategic enemy targets like ports, shipyards, factories, oil facilities, and ball-bearing works in Germany and France. So many of these aircraft never returned from their bombing raids. The crews were so very young - most were only in their late teens or early twenties. Many would be reported missing after only a few missions, while others might survive only to be killed on their final mission. Michael was only 26 when he first became an aircraft commander, and in charge of the 10 man crew. After surviving 32 missions, he was given a "Lucky Bastard Award" and it now hangs on his living room wall. How do we begin to thank him and all the other veterans, in all the wars, so many of whom made the supreme sacrifice for our country.