Subject: [303rd BG News] 3 June 2009
From: [email-masked]
To: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 03 Jun 2009 09:21:49 -0600
List-Id: 303rd Bomb Group News <303rd-announce.303rdBG.com>

_*303rd Bomb Group <http://www.303rdbg.com>*_
*
N E W S   U P D A T E S*
*3 June 2009*
*www.303rdBG.com <http://www.303rdbg.com>*
*_COMING UP THIS MONTH_
**June 6: D-Day 65th Anniversary
June 14: Flag Day
June 21: Father's Day**
**
*
*__**_Project: FOLDED FLAG;  _*_*Remembering Those Who Have Passed On*_*_
_*
Project: FOLDED FLAG is off to a tremendous start and the grave photos 
are increasing almost daily.  In addition to gravestone photos, I am 
also adding late-in-life photos of 303rd BG members who have passed away 
to the TAPS pages <http://www.303rdbg.com/taps1.html>.  More information 
is available here: http://www.303rdbg.com/project-folded-flag.html

_*My Short Life as a POW in WWII*_

The story of *George H. Emerson's* experiences as a POW are now online.  
George was the sole survivor of his crew following a midair collision 
over Germany.  It's a very interesting story, now included on the 427th 
Barrat Crew page.  See:  http://www.303rdbg.com/427barrat.html

*

****_Return to Wolfenbuttel_*
*
**Sgt Sheppard Kerman, *Radio Operator on the 360th 2Lt Victor Howard 
Crew, was one of several 303rd men who were murdered by Germans after 
successful parachute jumps.  His fascinating story, and the quest of his 
nephew, *Matt Smith*, to find more about the incident, is a new addition 
to the website.  Included is a video of Matt Smith's recent return visit 
to Wolfenbuttel.  See:   http://www.303rdbg.com/murder-kerman.html

*
_303rd Bomb Group Reunion Update and Reminder_*

As noted earlier, we will meet as part of the *Eighth Air Force 
Historical Society*'s (8th AFHS) 2009 Reunion in Cincinnati Ohio, August 
18-23.  Registration is now open and will continue through July 2nd. It 
is not too late!  Please register and reserve your hotel room now. 

Last year was our first meeting with the 8th AFHS and we were one of the 
largest groups in attendance.  This enabled us to have a 303rd 
hospitality suite and a separate 303rd rendezvous dinner.  After the 
rendezvous dinner, we honored the Veterans in attendance and those who 
had passed away since our last reunion.  We also held a discussion on 
our future direction.  Those in attendance agreed that the 8th AFHS 
reunion provided an excellent place for us to meet.

Please help perpetuate the 303rd.  Sign up and attend this reunion in 
August.  We will open our hospitality suite on Thursday, August 20th and 
have scheduled hours through Saturday, August 22nd.

This link provides all registration details: 
http://www.8thafhs.org/reunions.htm
You may also read or print all the reunion information here: 
http://www.303rdbg.com/2009-8AFHS-reunion.pdf

Please note:

    *1. *   Since we are going as part of the Eighth Air Force
    Historical Society one member of your group must be a member of the
    8th AFHS.  The registration form provides a place to join.

    *2. *   While you can reserve you hotel room via fax or USPS it is
    suggested to call the Millennium Hotel direct at (800) 876-2100. 
    Tell them you are coming as part of the 8th Air Force Historical
    Society Reunion.

    *3. *   If you have any questions or would like a paper copy of the
    registration information, please let me know.

Jay Hardy
101 Carnoustie
Williamsburg, Virginia 23188
(757) 258-0194 (Home)
(757) 784-7909 (Mobile)
email: [email-masked]

_*TAPS
*_
*Lt. Col. Clayton C. David*, USAF retired, 89, of Hannibal, MO died at 
6:15 p.m. on Friday, May 15, 2009, at Beth Haven in Hannibal. . . . He 
was married to Lenora M. "Scotty" Scott on Feb. 11, 1945, at Scio, Ohio, 
and she survives. . . .

Clayton entered the United States Army Air Force on Dec. 1, 1941. He 
retired from the Air Force Reserves on July 19, 1979. He was a pilot, 
flying combat missions in a B-17 with the 8th Air Force out of England, 
and he was reported MIA over Holland on Jan. 11, 1944. He evaded being 
captured by the Germans through Holland, Belgium, France and over the 
Pyrenees Mountains to reach Spain and then Gibraltar. From there he was 
flown back to England on May 25, 1944. He received the Purple Heart in 
addition to other decorations. His evading experiences are the basis of 
a book, "They Helped Me Escape," which he wrote. He is also featured in 
the 8th Air Force Heritage Museum, Savannah, Ga. . . . 

Clayton was a past president and membership chairman of the Air Forces 
Escape and Evasion Society, Life member of the Reserve Officers 
Association, the 303rd Bomb Group and the 8th Air Force Historical 
Society. He was a member of Who's Who in the Mid West, The Air Force 
Association, The Retired Officers Association, the Emmette J. Shields 
American Legion Post No. 55 and the VFW.

*McDonald L. Riddick *passed away June 10, 2003.  He was copilot on the 
358th BS William C. Fort, Jr. Crew and a Prisoner of War.

*Paul William Abernathy *died June 30, 2007.  He was a waist gunner on 
427th BS Lauren H. Quillen's crew and a Prisoner of War.

***Clifford F. Fontaine*, native son of Unionville, passed away on May 
4, 2009 in Huntington Station NY. He was the son of Louis J. and Estelle 
S. Fontaine, the youngest of four children. He was predeceased by his 
wife of more than fifty years, Priscilla (Anderson) Fontaine, and his 
three siblings, Arthur, Kenneth and Masie (Fontaine) Holtzhausen. Cliff 
is survived by his beloved daughter, Dawn and son-in-law, Dan Higgins. . 
.  He joined the Army Air Corp in the early part of 1942, (8th Air 
Force, 303rd Bomb Group 427th Squadron), becoming a B-17 gunner, (waist, 
tail and ball turret), bombardier, and Sergeant. Cliff flew 35 missions 
in the European Theater and received the Distinguished Flying Cross, 
Mid-Eastern Theater Air Medal, Oak Leaf Cluster and Distinguished Unit 
Badge.

Cliff was a regular at 303rd Bomb Group reunions for many years, 
attending with his daughter Dawn and her husband Danny.  He was easy to 
spot driving his Jazzy with his CLIFFF license plate.

Keeping the Legacy Alive,
Gary

-- 
Gary L. Moncur
303rd Bomb Group Historian
[email-masked]
www.303rdBG.com

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