Son shares father’s WWII experience
Today, the plane is on display at the National Museum of World War II in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Steve Patrick of Dover will share the experiences of his father as a crew member of a WWII B-17 bomber. One WWII B-17 Bomber and One Crew Member's Story — 1942 to 2022 will be held at the Dover Public Library on Monday, June 27 at 6:30 p.m.
John “Bob” Robert Patrick, a 1939 graduate of New Philadelphia High School, was the crew chief on a B-17 bomber during World War II. The crew was on its way to England to join the war when bad weather and low fuel forced them to land on the arctic ice cap in Greenland.
The crew was rescued after 10 days, but the plane, which was relatively undamaged in the landing, was left behind. It wasn’t until 1964 that someone spotted the B-17 bomber. In 1995 all parts of the plane were retrieved and moved to Oregon, where it was completely restored.
In 2000 a Cincinnati businessman bought the plane with the intention of making it the centerpiece of a WWII memorial. In 2012 the businessman, realizing he was not going to be able to finish the project, donated the plane to the National Museum of World War II in New Orleans, Louisiana. Today, the plane is still on display at one of the pavilions at the museum.
“I have done this program several times since moving here in 2008,” Patrick said, “and each time I give it, I find new material I never knew about. The details are fascinating.”
“It is a remarkable coincidence that Patrick will be sharing images and displaying artifacts exactly 80 years after his father’s historical journey began — June 27, 1942,” said Sherrel Rieger, adult program specialist.
This program will be held in the community room at the DPL, 525 N. Walnut St., Dover.
Register online at www.doverlibrary.org or call the library at 330-343-6123.