One Year Ago Today

It is hard for me to imagine that one year ago
today I posted the first of many stories of my
father's war memoirs. 

I oftentimes felt that I was a time traveler
as if I were there alongside him as he trained
at the various military airfields, the 34
missions he and his crew flew, their perilous
bailout, their dramatic and dangerous escape
back to the Adriatic Sea, and their joyous
homecoming.  

It's been a remarkable journey and has truly
had a profound effect upon my life.

During the course of my weekly postings
I did a great deal of research.  Aided by
pictures, letters written home by my father,
and many, many of his military paperwork,
I was able to find many of his military airfields
where he trained.  Each bit of information
I was able to uncover would lead yet to
another piece of new information leading
me to what I consider my greatest discovery 
in this sort of "treasure hunt," if you will; and
that was the discovery of family members
of the crew.    

Although my father had maintained close
friendships with some of the crew and their
families, years after he passed away their
whereabouts were unknown to me.  
After months of searching, I was able
to find three of the crew's families:
the Gonyea's, Swain's and Congleton's,
and am very proud and honored to
know them; and in the weeks ahead
I will be posting their stories.

Elizabeth Bacher