Independence Day
On 24 February 1944 my uncle "Doc" Leclerc's B17 "No Balls At All" was shot down by German ace Heinz Knoke over Haariemmermer Theo Weterings in Holland. He was able to crash land his bomber in a open area in the little village and did not lose any of his crew or injure anyone on the ground.
The Mayor of this Dutch village opened a bike path dedicated to my uncle last May which contains a street sign "Walter LeClercpad".
He spent the next 400+ days as a German POW, came home and farmed outside of Lyons KS. He passed on a couple of years ago at 96.
http://amsterdam.usconsulate.gov/news-events/events-2012/dutch-memorial-day-2012.html
My family was contacted recently by the DOD DNA Registry requesting family DNA in order to ID remains found in the crash site of a Marine Corsair found in the Solomon Islands this year.
Its been 71 years since my uncle Joe disappeared over the jungle.
Freedom's not free.
Byron
Complete thread:
- Independence Day -
Byron,
2013-07-04, 11:52
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- Independence Day-Freedom's not free. amen brother. - Rob Leahy, 2013-07-04, 12:16
- G*D bless you and yours this Independence Day, Byron - Otony, 2013-07-04, 14:07
- Independence Day - RidinLou, 2013-07-04, 14:11
- Amen! Freedom isn't Free! - Dave B, 2013-07-04, 14:41
- Byron you come from good stock - Fivegunner, 2013-07-04, 14:53