This is a photograph of my father-in-law, Jack Knapp, Barbara’s dad. He was the navigator on a B-17 flying out of North Africa on reconnaissance flights I think over Italy – Once photographs were developed squadrons of B-17s took off from fields in Northern Africa and bombed those sites into oblivion.
It was on one return flight that a naval vessel on the Mediterranean below radioed the aircraft to identify itself, a standard operation in those waters. There was no response, and the challenge was issued again. Still no response. Apparently the radio on the returning flight was damaged and inoperable, so the flight didn’t receive the radio challenge and failed to identify itself. The naval vessel opened fire and downed the aircraft.
Barbara’s father was listed as Missing In Action. It was years later through a Freedom of Information request to the Pentagon by his brother, Royce, that it was learned that the B-17 returning flight was downed by friendly fire.
This is to say Thank You For Your Service to all those who didn’t come home from their wartime missions.
Journeys of a Bent Mind 