It was the summer of 1943. 1st Lt Henderson Cagle throttled up the four Wright R-1830's powering his B-17F and departed RAF Polebrook towards the U-Boat pens in St.Nazaire, France. By September he had participated in 29 of the 36 missions carried out by his bomb group, including 11 trips to German soil. At the end of his first tour, he had earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, an Air Medal, and four Oak Leaf Clusters. Family legend says that he celebrated his return to the states by flying a B-17 underneath the Golden Gate Bridge. After WWII, he flew B-29's in the Korean War. His life was cut short in 1958 when a newly overhauled C-124 fell out of the sky just after take-off.
Rest in peace dear uncle, it is the deepest honor to say that I'm your kin.
Rest in peace dear uncle, it is the deepest honor to say that I'm your kin.