The Story of Larry C Thornton, MIA in Laos, Continues

Larry C. Thornton's MIA dogtag that I wear every day to remember his sacrifice.

After a recent posting about Master Sgt. Larry C. Thornton, whose memorial I came across by chance at the Iona Cemetery during a run a few weeks back, I have found out more about him.

A new friend of mine who operates his MIA page on on an MIA/POW webring contacted me and told me that Larry has a building named for him down at Hill Air Force Base in Roy, Utah. Here are photos she sent of the building at the base. It's a small building, but at least he has gotten some recognition for his sacrifice.

Read MORE about Larry C. Thornton.

Remembering Larry Thornton of Idaho Falls--MIA in Vietnam

The AC-47D 'Spooky', similar to the one on which Thornton and crew were lost.

Photo Montage from the Virtual Wall website hyperlinked below.

MIA Larry Thornton's memorial stone in the Iona Cemetery. As of 2003, Thornton's remains have not been found. The crew was lost Christmas Eve, 1965 on a mission.

While running in the country last weekend, I stopped in the Iona Cemetery to take some photos. I noticed one grave belonging to a Korean War and Vietnam War veteran who was listed as Missing in Action. After taking a photo, I went home and did some research. The story is quite compelling, and illustrates the sadness surrounding all cases of Missing in Action men and their families.

Larry Thornton's story is on the Virtual Wall, and can be accessed by clicking on this hyperlink.

95th Bomb Group's Larry Buchholz Flies Final Mission

A fallen hero is honored. Riverside National Cemetery, California. (Photo courtesy of Larry's granddaughter Rachel Terry)

Eagle on Larry's casket. (Photo courtesy of Larry's granddaughter Rachel Terry)

One of my heroes, the soft-spoken, brilliant Larry Buchholz, passed away last month, I heard from his granddaughter a few days ago. This news makes me very sad, because Larry was a hell of a nice guy, a true gentleman, and a man who bravely answered his nation's call to service in its time of need. Larry flew 30 missions as a radio operator on a B-17 Flying Fortress with the 95th Bomb Group out of Horham, England in World War Two.

I had the pleasure and honor of meeting Larry in Tucson Arizona a few years back at the 95th Reunion. He was kind, quiet, and possessed a thoughtful and intelligent nature that I really appreciated. Though I only knew Larry for a few days, we became friends and his loss is just one more example of the rapidly-disappearing 'Greatest Generation'. God bless you, Larry, on your final mission.

Read the obituary of an American hero here.

PBS Program on 8th Air Force and Air War Feb 8

A program about the air war over Europe airs February 8, 2010.

Click here for trailer and info.

Camouflage on the Home Front--Lockheed's Burbank Aircraft Plant in WWII

Burbank, CA Lockheed plant before. According to this website, Lockheed hired Disney to turn the plant into a suburban community shortly after Pearl Harbor. Read the story here. (Click on the purple 'here')

After.

My friend and former student Jeff Shirts sent me this post. I've seen the photos before and am fairly sure this is true. Anybody know more about it? This is Lockheed's Burbank aircraft factory disguised as a residential subdivision during World War Two.

Lack of Posts

Just and update to let readers know I am still alive and working on stories. What you may not know is that I am a public high school teacher (in the US, public means public not private). I work at a school that is officially a Title I school, meaning it has such a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students that it gets extra government help. Also, though I teach a high school level, the 9th grade is in a junior high. Go figure.
I have been at this school since 1989, other than for a six-year hiatus resulting from the necessity to distance myself from a corrupt former administration which is now gone. (This administration tried to ruin a fellow teacher, defamed his character, and later lost a large monetary settlement in the ensuing lawsuit, not to mention their collective jobs). But that's another story.
Teaching requires massive amounts of daily work, and it doesn't end when the final bell rings. Ten-hour days are the norm. Weekends are full of planning.
On top of that, I am putting finishing touches on the 95th Bomb Group book, and also working on my next book. This weekend will continue to work on a chapter about an amazing man who got the Navy Cross on Okinawa. He lives right here in town so I can drive over and see him.
It seems there are not enough hours in the day to do everything, and the first thing to suffer is this blog, but rest assured, things will pick up again.

Huge 1:6 Scale B-17G Model RC Plane Flies in Australia

The above RC plane is a 1:9 scale B-17. The B-17 shown in the video below is even bigger, 1:6 scale. The Tondelayo, flying out of Australia, is 108 pounds!

Incredible dedication to build, maintain and fly such a huge RC plane. (Click the purple hyperlink to find out more about this magnificent piece of machinery and to watch it fly)