Posted:
By: Shirley Wallis
On: 02/28/2003
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I would be very interested in seeing the pictures of Deenethorpe, also. My father, James A. Stevenson, was the bombardier of John Whiteman's 401st BG 615th SG crew shot down May 24, 1944, crash landing on the Danish island of Bornholm. Erik Dyreborg's recent book, The Lucky Ones, includes the story of this crew's crash landing, their various methods of evasion and escape to Sweden. As was true for many, my father never discussed his time in the service. He died in 1981 of lung cancer. As a result of a totally random internet search, I was "reunited" with my Dad's crew (and Erik)at the very end of July2002. On Labor Day my husband surprised me with a flight on the EEA's B17, the Aluminum Overcast.At the end of October my family and I met 2 of the crew members (Nelson Liddle and Seymour Ringle, as well as Erik Dyreborg in Dinwiddie, Virginia (Erik and Nelson flew in on the Collings Foundation B17).John (Jack) Whiteman is now one of my E-mail penpals. It has been so fun!In July my husband and I will travel to the island of Bornholm. Erik is going to show us where the plane crashed, the routes the crew members took, the homes of the Danish Resistance who assisted the crew in their evasion and escape, and we will meet the "little girl" who was given my Dad's bombardier insignia (which she still has). We will also spend a week in England, visit the site of Deenethorpe air base, and see any of sites we discover were frequented by members of the 401st BG (any ideas anyone?).We are excited to bring this recent discovery full circle. So, that is my interest in the pictures of Deenethorpe. Thank you so much for your offer! Shirley Stevenson Wallis
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