Taseko Mines Ltd (TGB)

[pete807]

Great memory. Thanks for sharing. My Dad's cousin was 1 year younger and survived 25 missions in a B17. Got the Distinguished Flying Cross. Lived to be 98. We wrote back and forth for years. He authored articles for the Air Force News.

On one Mission to take out the ball bearing factories west of Paris he explained at 33,000 feet the head wind was 100+ mph... "we were sitting ducks". The flak was on them... His plane lost two engines and fell behind the formation. He wondered when they were alone if they would make it over the channel and why they were not shot down.

BUT... It was New Years eve 1944 and the Germans were drinking!. When they landed in England at the first RAF base many miles from their billet with 133 holes in the bird they were allowed to sleep... until midnight and were awakened to sing Auld Lang Syne!