Deadly days from war recalled
By JAMES R. MILLIN | La Crosse
It is the fall of Oct. 4, 1943. We are at a bomber base somewhere in England. We are the crews of the 8th Air Force, B-17s heavy bombardment.
Our target today will be Hanua, just east of Frankfurt, Germany.
We are crews made up of 20-year-old men, barely out of high school or college. Our call to duty is to destroy HitlerÕs war machine.
Before this day is over, 16 B-17s will be shot down Ñ 160 young Americans will be either killed in combat or become prisoners of war.
Back in England at our home bases, the hard stands where we park our B-17s will stand empty, the Combat Mess Halls will have missing crews.
One of these crews will be Crew No. 13, CarlsonÕs crew, my crew.
We recall and shall not forget Oct. 14, 1943. As the curtain is drawn back on the target map this day, a sudden hush is felt among the crews. For today, 10 days after Hanua, the target is Schweinfurt, Germany Ñ Black Thursday Ñ as we know it in the Air Force. There shall be more than 300 B-17s on this mission, a total effort.
Known as one of historyÕs greatest air battles, hundreds of German fighters shall be up this day. By dayÕs end of this October fall day in 1943, 60 B-17s will be lost in combat Ñ 600 young Americans shall either die in combat or become Prisoners of War.
So on these two October days, some 59 years later, as I have for all those years, I raised my glass in a toast to all of my fallen and surviving members of the 8th Air Force.
I am the lone survivor of our crew. At 80 years old, we are the veterans sprinkled among the general population.
James R. Millin was a prisoner of war for 19 months.
© La Crosse TRibune