On my 61st birthday I treated myself to a flight in the B-17 bomber "Liberty Belle". I will let the pictures tell the story.

There was an elderly gentleman sitting at a card table just outside the fence from the plane. He was selling a book he had written called "Reddo's Raiders". He was the commander of a B-17 in WWII and flew 34 missions. The odds were against anyone surviving more than 3 missions, so he's a living miracle in more ways than one. I bought his book and shook his hand and thanked him for what he and his crewmembers had done. I told him that because of them, we could be gathering here doing what we are doing today.

June 16, 2011: I was saddened to learn that the B-17 destroyed by fire following a successful forced landing was the Liberty Belle. Thankfully no lives were lost, nor where there any injuries.