John Rood
2/9/2002 6:42:03 PM | My dear friend Bill Orphan is not yet "online" and thus is not yet a visitor here. But I just tonight discovered your excellent website and thought I'd leave you all a note on his behalf.
Maybe some of you know Bill and his wife Jeanne through 401st or ex-P.O.W. group reunions?
Bill served in the 401st as a tail gunner and survived a hasty bail-out of his shot-up B-17F shortly before it exploded somewhere over hostile territory in early 1944. (I believe most or even all of his crewmates did as well?)
He then made it through a protracted stay with his German "hosts" at StalagLuft XVII, and at war's end became a firefighter and raised a family back home in the USA.
And, he's still doing fine, all these years later!
I am honored to know Bill and his wonderful wife Jean. They are great friends here in the Greater Boston area. I would be delighted to hear from any of you.
John Rood
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