The writer has returned to his computer.
Son Matt (20), son-in-law Cody Davis (25) and myself (old) traveled 1,300+ miles since Friday, and saw most of southern Wyoming and a piece of Colorado as well. We visited my son's home town and also Medicine Bow, the town where we lived for four years in the eighties.
I will give a full report tomorrow, broken down into several categories. Norris King's story is so amazing and unknown that I plan to write up it and submit it to several aviation history and World War Two magazines.
For now, I submit a couple of photos from the trip, with only minor commentary.
Matt Morris (left, in Sosa jersey) and Cody Davis (right, in white shirt) enjoy the Colorado Rockies/Chicago Cubs game on Sunday, August 12 at Coors Field, Denver, Colorado. We saw a game on Saturday evening and another on Sunday. Sunday's game was a hot one, with temperatures over 100 degrees.
Second, the highlight of the trip for me was meeting with Norris King and his lovely wife Marilyn, who live in Arvada, Colorado. Norris's 15th Air Force B-17 was shot down in 1943 by Swiss anti-aircraft fire. The day his plane went down, 13 Americans were killed in Switzerland. On Norris's plane, only three of the crew of ten survived. Norris shared his experiences and we had a great visit. The photo today shows Norris with a piece of his plane, which he was given upon his return to Switzerland fifty years after the war. It is in a shadow-box in his den. Norris spent time as a Swiss internee before escaping from Switzerland later in the war, joining up with the French underground, and making his way back to Allied lines. Though he is 82, he looks younger than me. For Norris's story, see my book 'Untold Valor' pages 177-182.
Norris King and a piece of his B-17, a 99th BG B-17 named 'Sugarfoot' that was shot down by Swiss anti-aircraft, killing all but three members of the crew on October 1, 1943.
Marilyn King, Norris King, and Rob Morris at the King home, Arvada, Colorado, Sunday August 12, 2007.More tomorrow, so stay tuned.
1 comment:
God Bless you Rob. The time couldn't have been better spent. I wish I was there with you to shake Norris's and his wife's hands. Thank you for sharing. Les
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