Written by Chuck Cravens, AirCorps Aviation and revised by Emily Enger. One of the lesser known and under-appreciated contributions to the Second World War came from women pilots. 1,102 women served in either, or both, the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron…
Category: Air War
A Woman’s Touch, a WASP Story24 year old Muriel Lindstrom makes dead-stick land while training for the Women Airforce Service Pilots
The plane shuddered like it had hypothermia. WASP trainee, Muriel Lindstrom, could feel the vibrations over her entire body; even her teeth hurt. She kept her hand light on the stick as she continued her ascent. With its 450 HP…
100 Year Old Fighter Pilot VeteranKermit Bjorlie Flew P-40s, P-47s and P-51s in WWII
Kermit Bjorlie Interview by Chuck Cravens, 7-13-2019 I met Kermit Bjorlie and his son, Jon, at Wings of the North Museum’s AirExpo. The event took place at Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie, MN on Saturday July 13, 2019. Kermit…
Forever Young, Not ForgottenSgt. Robert H. Fisher Jr. with the B-24 crew lost at sea
This story was submitted by 2nd cousin of S/Sgt. Robert H. Fisher Jr., who was a crewman on a B-24 Liberator with the 8th Air Force, 93rd Bomb Group. He and his crew were last seen over the North Sea…
Shot Up But Never Shot DownB-17 Pilot Roger Kanten, 15th Air Force
This story was submitted by the grandson of Roger Kanten and written by a family member. We were happy to be able to share his story so more people can see what a brave guy he was. Roger was a…
Intrepid Under Fire19-year-old Walter Hillman in Kamikaze Strike
Walter Hillman stood alert on the port side of the U.S.S. Intrepid, just behind the 20 millimeter anti-aircraft gun. The view over the Pacific was expansive. You could look across the water and see well over a mile before the…
Mobile Crash Crew Rebuilds FortressesSoldiers, Technicians Fix Planes Where They Crash
There are so many stories lost in these old papers from World War II. My grandparents were great at saving memorabilia. This is the first time I actually looked through their old newspapers and I’m excited to share them with…
Flight Engineer Link Ellingson was part of first attack on Berlin
An article pulled from the Spring Grove Herald recalls Harold “Link” Ellingson’s experiences in the 8th Air Force. Harold was the uncle of one of our parents. Harold survived the war and had 4 children! He was a Mobile gas…
The View from the Ball Turret20 yr old Lowell Moore’s mission over Berlin
Lowell Moore lay on his back, knees bent up near his ears. Two steel levers were gripped in each hand, cold against his palms, even through gloves. The world buzzed. Turbulence and the roar of the 1200 horsepower engines made…