Hello Mississippi!

Tony will be visiting at the McComb and Meadville public libraries today.  Please drop by to say hello and visit about the efforts to recover Miss Deal.

Tony to sign books in Greenville, TX - MAY 17 2014

Greenville residents, come see Tony Crawford at the Hastings bookstore on Saturday, May 17^th from 1 to 4pm.  He will be signing copies of his book to help raise money for the expedition to the Netherlands.  Come out and talk to him about the effort to recover the wreckage of Miss Deal, and raise the remains of pilot, 2LT John R Way, and Tony’s Uncle Charlie.

Hastings is located at 5101 Wesley Street.  The store phone number is (903) 454-3629.

Hope to see you there!

Propwash Airport - Saturday May 10, 2014

Tony will be out at Propwash Airport 16X (click here for AirNav page) this coming Saturday to sign a few books.  Come on out and visit!

Propwash is a great aviation community located 3 miles west of Justin, TX, with a 3000' lighted asphalt runway.  For more information about the airport, click here for their website.

On this day in World War II... APRIL 29, 1945

Stalag VII-A, an 86-acre prisoner-of-war camp (the largest in Germany) located north of the town of Moosburg in southern Bavaria, was liberated on this day in 1945. 

 At the time of liberation, there were approximately 80,000 prisoners detained in the camp, mostly French and Soviet.  Over 1,000 POWs died at the camp during its 5 ½ year history.  Combat Command A of the 14^th Armored Division freed the camp after a short battle. 

Sources:  Wikipedia and Moosburg Online

PROFILE: SSGT Raymond E Dodge

Known to his fellow crewmembers as “Young Dodge” or “Trigger”, Raymond Earl Dodge entered the service 12 days after his 18^th birthday in 1942.  He was right waist gunner on Miss Deal.

photo courtesy of the Dodge Family

Enemy fire almost completely severed Dodge's hands during the return flight from Hamburg.   He was awarded the Purple Heart, and is buried with his family at Moe Lutheran Church Cemetery, in Clear Lake, Wisconsin.

BLUEBONNET AIRSHOW REMINDER!!!

Texas Hill Country residents... don't forget to visit the Bluebonnet Airshow this coming Saturday, April 26th.  Gates open at 10am and close at 4pm.

Tickets:  Adults - 15.00, Seniors and Military - 10.00, Students (6-17) - 5.00, Age 5 and under FREE

Stop by and see Tony... he will have autographed copies of his book available for $20.  Stop by to chat and learn more about the expedition to lift Miss Deal from the Dollart.

Hope to see you there!

On this day in World War II… APRIL 18

1942

The famous Doolittle Raid – the first American air raid to strike the Japanese Home Islands, including the capital of Tokyo.  Little significant damage was done, but perhaps more importantly, American morale was boosted, and doubts were raised in Japan of their ability to defend the homeland.

1943

Also on this day, but one year later...Admiral Isoruko Yamamoto, Japanese naval strategist, was killed when his aircraft was shot down by American P-38s.  He was commander-in-chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy during the battles of Pearl Harbor and Midway.  Codebreakers intercepted and decrypted Admiral Yamamoto’s itinerary on April 14^th, and Operation Vengeance was underway.

Admiral Yamamoto and staff were on an inspection tour in Papua New Guinea, and would be traveling in two Mitsubishi G4M Bettys of the 204^th Kokutai, escorted by six Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters.  They would be departing New Britain and traveling to Bougainville Island.

To avoid detection by Japanese radar, the flight would be 1000 miles roundtrip, well beyond the range of many American fighters.  Eighteen wave-hopping Lockheed P-38 Lightnings from the 339^th were the tool of choice, toting auxiliary tanks to extend their range.  The mission was a success, both Japanese bombers lost with the loss of only one American aircraft and pilot, and a morale defeat for the Japanese Navy. General MacArthur called Operation Vengeance “one of the singularly most significant actions of the Pacific War.”

source:  Wikipedia