Christopher D. Clark
(489 & 44 BGs)
8th AF Vet PFC Hurwitz. Photo: Wendy Dwyer
The 80th anniversary of the D-Day assault on Fortress Europe to rid the world of forced oppression, slavery, work camps and ethnic cleansing had me glued to the TV, mainly C-Span and the BBC. While watching the veterans in their wheelchairs being pushed across the main stage meeting world leaders, I was brought to tears when one of the veterans, PFC Melvin Hurwitz, tried to kiss the hand of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine. I was not alone; this scene was playing out on all the monitors there. As the hand was being pulled back, not kissed, I could hear the veteran say to Zelenskyy that he prayed for him and Europe, now with war again on the continent. I was completely surprised, and my tears turned to tears of joy and extreme proudness as the veteran's military connection was none other than our own 8th Air Force. The emblem was there, big as life, on his jacket/coat. I even let out a yell (HE IS 8th Air Force).
The Heritage League’s work is still moving forward with our "News from The Greatest Generation" project to compile as many 2nd Air Division related newsletters and documents as possible and digitize them. We are entering phase two, a new round of assembling newsletters. They will then be transferred to the Library of Congress, which already is in the process of cataloging the 4,503 pages passed to them so far as part of their veteran’s history program.
I was proud to present on behalf of the Heritage League an actual B-24 navigator’s compass to the Freedom Museum in Manassas, Virginia last May. It was given to me by a 2nd Air Division veteran with the intent of preserving it for public view. See the “Promise” story in this issue.
Our convention committee has been busy planning for our October 17-21, Colorado Springs joint reunion with the 93rd Bomb Group association. If you are not yet sure about attending, please reserve your room as soon as you can anyway. The Embassy Suites reservation can be cancelled at no charge 2 days prior. The Air Force Academy has a football game and other Academy reunion activities going on that same weekend.
If you have not joined the American Library’s Coffee and Conversation yet, I invite you to do so. I look forward to these, as ideas, stories and historical perspectives are exchanged that would otherwise not be heard. Everyone attending have a good time. The informal meeting is held via Zoom the second Saturday of each month at 11:00 AM Eastern time (8 AM Pacific). Request to join the meeting (you don’t need the Zoom program in your computer or smart phone to join) by emailing: americanlibrary@norfolk.gov.uk .
Remember to reserve your hotel room early for our October Convention as all hotels in the Colorado Springs area are expected to fill up.