The man on the other end of the line identified himself as the secretary of the Dutch Freedom Committee. Twenty-eight American and British bomber veterans were being invited to come to the Netherlands for the fortieth anniversary of the Chowhound and Manna relief missions. Bob was both surprised and pleased that there were people in Holland who still remembered. He accepted the invitation, unprepared for the reception he and the rest of the former airmen were about to experience from people they had once helped but had never met.
Serving as representatives of all the airmen of Chowhound and Manna, the twenty-eight visitors were honored by the Dutch in ceremonies and with medals. There were dinners, parties and tours of the small towns and villages that had benefited from the food drops. As rewarding as the official events were, for Bob, nothing compared to actually meeting the people who had waved to the Allied bombers as they had dropped food forty years before.
Many who came to shake his hand remarked that though they had been mere children in May 1945, the memory of the friendly bombers was still vivid. Smiling strangers pressed pictures and small items into the hands of the American and British veterans. As Bob and Nancy returned to their hotel one evening, he discovered his jacket pockets were filled with these little gifts. A decorative tile caught his eye. Hand-painted on one side of the tile was a Dutch windmill. Bob turned the tile over and he could not stop the tears that came to his eyes. When Nancy noticed his reaction, he showed her the words that were written on the back of the tile: “Thanks for saving my life.”
Ten years later, the Dutch government invited all living air veterans of the Chowhound and Manna missions to Holland for a second celebration. What had begun in 1985 as a heartfelt but contained anniversary commemoration had become a national holiday of appreciation by 1995. Bob and the other visiting airmen rode in vintage WWII Jeeps through the streets of Rotterdam, while ticker tape rained down and an estimated five hundred thousand spectators cheered them as heroes.
Bob closed his import company in 1993 and retired to spend more time with Nancy. For the next ten years, the Vallieres lived happily in Branford, Connecticut, enjoying their five grandchildren. Bob was active as the treasurer of the Connecticut Chapter of the Eighth Air Force Historical Society. In 1985, he became director of the Chowhound organization, a position he held for more than ten years, and from 1995 to 1997 he served as president of the 385th Bomb Group Association. Nancy Valliere passed away in 2003. Bob Valliere continued to live in Connecticut near his two daughters until his death on January 7, 2006.
Michael Swana earned a degree in physics from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. After college, he found work with the General Telephone & Electronics Corporation, where he remained for more than thirty years. Swana became a valuable member of GT&E’s equipment design department, often working on classified radar and communications systems for the U.S. government.
In 1952, Swana married Phyliss Bukowski. The couple raised three sons (Michael, David and Steven) and three daughters (Linda, Susan and Mary Ellen). The Swanas were rewarded with seven grandchildren. Phyliss Swana passed away in 1978, and Linda (Swana) Allard passed away in 2008.
Mike Swana retired in 1987. He currently lives in Stow, Massachusetts, and in recent years has enjoyed travel to the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, Israel and Italy.
Leonard Weinstein resumed his college studies after the war, earning a BA in business from New York University. He found employment as an insurance broker and soon opened his own insurance agency in New York City.
In 1961 Leonard married Sheila Finkel. The couple’s first child, Rita, was born in 1961. Their first boy, Bruce, was born in 1964 and another daughter, Amy, in 1965. The Weinsteins raised their children in the Dix Hills community of Long Island, where Leonard had relocated his insurance business. Leonard and Sheila Weinstein separated in 1998.
Leonard now lives with his son, Bruce (and Bruce’s wife, Celeste, and their two children), in Fairfax, Virginia. He enjoys playing Ping-Pong and pool at the local senior center and spending time with his grandchildren.
Crew Reunion: During the mid-1950s, Bob Valliere and Michael Swana met again at a 385th Bomb Group Association gathering in New York City. Over the years, Bob visited his former pilot in Massachusetts, and Swana maintained a correspondence and telephone contact with Charlie DuShane.
Bob and Marvin Hydecker became even closer friends in the postwar years. Decades following the war and after Hydecker had retired to Florida, Bob paid a visit. Displayed prominently in his friend’s home was a string of rosary beads that Bob’s mother had sent to Hydecker back when he was a young bombardier.
In 2008, a twelve-year-old boy named Kalman Weinstein was passing time doing an Internet search of his grandfather’s name. The search took Kalman to TheBomberBoys.com, where he discovered a photo of three World War II airmen—his grandfather, Bob Valliere and Michael Swana. The Weinstein family contacted the author of The Bomber Boys to inform him that Leonard Weinstein, of the The Stork Club aircrew in the picture, was alive and well. As a result of young Kalman’s interest in his family’s history, former B-17 pilot Mike Swana and former B-17 radio operator and gunner Leonard Weinstein were reunited via telephone.
In memory of Bomber Boy John Conners, and in memory of Thomas Ayres
Author’s Research Note
The primary research sources used in writing The Bomber Boys were individual in-person interviews conducted by the author with the five main subjects. Ahern, Frechette, Seniawsky (Scott), Teta and Valliere were each interviewed (and recorded) for a minimum of five hours, beginning in 2001. In addition, follow-up interviews, both in-person and via telephone, were conducted as needed until the book’s completion in 2004. The author estimates that the total interview time for these five men exceeds forty hours.
Also contacted and interviewed were the living former crewmates of the five main subjects. Armstrong, Chart, Cuffman, Duke, Lyon, Pearson, Pogorzelski, Swana and Weinstein each participated in numerous telephone interviews. Spodar was interviewed in person. Sons and daughters of former airmen, now deceased, provided additional details of their fathers’ postwar lives (and occasionally their wartime memories).
Due to the volume and lengthy time span of the interviews, the author has chosen not to list individual interviews as part of the bibliography and hopes his explanation of his interview process will be sufficient to the reader.
It is the author’s intention to eventually offer the actual audio recordings of The Bomber Boys interviews to the U.S. National Archives in Washington, D.C., or to the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum in Savannah, Georgia.
Ahern, Frechette, Seniawsky, Teta and Valliere, as well as Cuffman, provided official wartime documents, letters or diaries that were used in research. These items are listed in the bibliography under the name of the person who provided them. Pearson and Pogorzelski contributed memoirs that have previously appeared in veterans organizations’ newsletters. These are listed under Articles in the bibliography.
Selected Bibliography
BOOKS
Angelillo, Barbara Walsh and Sullivan, George / Andrews, Robert / Davenport, Giuliana / Davenport, Fionn. Italy ’97: The Complete Guide with the Great Cities, Tuscan Hill Towns and Renaissance Treasures. New York: Fodor’s. 1996.
Angelucci, Enzo and Matricardi, Paolo / Pinto, Pierluigi. Complete Book of World War II Combat Aircraft. New York: Barnes & Noble. 2001.
Baily, Ronald H. and the editors of Time-Life Books. The Air War in Europe (WWII). Chicago: Time-Life Books. 1981.
Baily, Rosemary (Project Editor). France (Eyewitness Travel Guides). New York: Dorling Kindersley. 1994.
Bishop, Cliff T. and Stanley D. Bishop. Fortresses of the Big Triangle First. East Anglia Books. 1986.
Breeden, Robert L. (Editor). The Alps. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society. 1973.
Caidin, Martin. Flying Forts: The B-17 in World War II. New York: Ballantine Books. 1968.
Castiglioni, Dr. Manli
o (Chief Editor). The International Atlas. Chicago: Rand McNally & Company. 1969.
Cooksley, Peter G. Flying Bomb: The Story of Hitler’s V-Weapons in World War II. New York: Scribner, 1979.
Craven, John V. The 305th Bomb Group in Action: An Anthology. Burleson, TX: 305th Bombardment Group (H) Memorial Association. 1990.
Daniel, Clifton (Editor in Chief). Chronicle of the 20th Century. Paris: Jacques Legrand International and Mount Kisco, NY: Chronicle. 1987.
Editors of Fodor Travel Publications. Fodor’s France 2002. New York: Fodor’s Travel. 2001.
Hess, William N. and Johnsen, Frederick A. / Marshall, Chester. Great American Bombers of WWII. Osceola, WI: MBI Publishing Company. 1998.
Jablonski, Edward. Flying Fortress: The Illustrated Biography of the B-17s and the Men Who Flew Them. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company. 1965.
Keegan, John. The Second World War. New York: Viking Penguin. 1990.
Matthews, Georgina (Managing Editor). Italy (Eyewitness Travel Guides). New York: Dorling Kindersley. 1996.
Miller, Russell (and the editors of Time-Life Books). The Resistance. Chicago: Time-Life Books. 1997.
Morrison, Wilbur H. Fortress Without a Roof: The Allied Bombing of the Third Reich. New York: St. Martin’s Press. 1982.
Overy, Richard. Why the Allies Won. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. 1995.
Read, Anthony and Fisher, David. The Fall of Berlin. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. 1992.
Sharpe, Mike. Aircraft of World War II: A Visual Encyclopedia. Osceola, WI: MBI. 2000.
Speer, Albert. Inside the Third Reich. New York: The Macmillan Company. 1970.
U.S. Army Air Force. TARGET: GERMANY The Army Air Forces’ Official Story of the VIII Bomber Command’s First Year Over Europe. New York: Simon & Schuster. 1943.
ARTICLES
[Author unknown]. “Employee’s Brother Asks for Flying Fortress.” Production for Victory (Vol. II, No. 9): 1944.
[Author unknown]. “Mercy Mission.” Third Air Division Strikes: 1945.
Bullock, Keith M. and Piok, Andreas. “Inauguration of War Memorial on the Penderalm Above St. Leonhard Near Brixen, Italy.” Internet article: 1998.
Houghton, Jerry, Pvt. “Chute Fails, Airman Falls 4 Miles, Lives.” Stars and Stripes: (date unknown).
Laxact, Robert. “The Enduring Pyrenees.” National Geographic: 1974.
Pearson, Lyle, Sr. “Nazi Germany 1945.” Reveille, Official Publication of Walter H. Strand Post No. 950, Veterans of Foreign Wars: Mankato, MN. 1995.
Pogorzelski, Frank. “War Me.” (publication and date unknown).
Shepherd, Dik. “Saga of Torchy Tess.” Air Classics Magazine (Vol. 34, No. 2): 1998.
Stursberg, Peter. “Holland Was Saved Just in Time.” Daily Herald. 1945.
DOCUMENTS, LETTERS AND DIARIES
AHERN, GEORGE
Letter to George Ahern’s father from Pilot/Aircraft Commander First Lieutenant Marvin R. Walker. 1944.
Official Combat Missions List for Staff Sergeant George Ahern. Lieutenant Maurice Joncas, Assistant Operations Officer, 509th Bombardment Squadron. 1944.
CUFFMAN, JOHN
Personal Combat Missions List and Missions Diary of Sergeant John Cuffman. 1943/1944.
FRECHETTE, ARTHUR
German Medical Records for POW “Artur” Frechette. 1945.
Letter to Mrs. Katherine E. Pearson confirming her husband, Lyle, as “missing in action.” General C.F. Born, Acting Commander, Fifteenth Air Force. 1945.
Letter to the Quartermaster General from Arthur Frechette, regarding his dead crewmates. 1946.
Official Certificate/Combat Missions List for Arthur J. Frechette. First Lieutenant Lawrence D. Snyder, Operations Officer. (undated).
Official Crew List of Lieutenant Lyle C. Pearson’s B-17 aircraft, shot down December 29, 1943. U.S. Army Air Forces. (undated).
Official Medical Records of First Lieutenant Arthur Frechette Jr., Army Service Forces, First Service Command. 1945.
Recommendation for the Distinguished Flying Cross Award to First Lieutenant Lyle C. Pearson. (undated).
SENIAWSKY/SCOTT, PETER
“Confidential” Document verifying the identity of Staff Sergeant Peter Seniawsky (after his escape from behind enemy lines). Special Agent, CIC. 1943.
Letter of Commendation for Peter Seniawsky. Colonel J.K. Lacey, U.S. Army Air Forces. 1943.
Letter to Mrs. Margie Bile informing her that Peter Seniawsky was “safe and interned in a neutral country.” Major General J.A. Ulio, The Adjutant General, U.S. War Department. 1943.
Letter of Recommendation for Peter Seniawsky’s promotion to Master Sergeant. Captain H. E. Frink Jr., U.S. Army Air Forces. (date unknown).
Official Missing Air Crew Report (date Oct. 15, 1943) for First Lieutenant Giles Kauffman Jr.’s B-17 aircraft. Captain C.H. Crowy Jr., Air Corps Adjutant, U.S. War Department. 1943.
Official Notice of Award of the Silver Star to Staff Sergeant Peter Seniawsky. Brigadier General C.C. Chauncey, Chief of Staff, on behalf of Lieutenant General Eaker. 1944.
Postal Telegraph Message reporting Peter Seniawsky “missing in action.” Secretary of War. 1943.
TETA, ANTHONY
Official Movement Orders (overseas) for Lieutenant Jerome J. Chart and his B-17 crew. Headquarters, 273rd AAF Base Unit (SB), Lincoln Army Air Field, Lincoln, Nebraska. 1944.
United States Army Military Records and Report of Separation/ Certificate of Service—Anthony Teta. 1947.
VALLIERE, ROBERT
Letter to Walter E. Brown (Editor of the Magazine of the Eighth Air Force Historical Society) from Robert A. Valliere. 1999.
INTERNET SOURCES
Leo Durocher’s Hall of Fame Biography. National Baseball Hall of Fame. Cooperstown, NY: 2003. www.baseballhalloffame.org.
385th Bomb Group History. Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum. Savannah, GA: 2003. www.mightyeighth.org.
About the Author
Travis L. Ayres is a former broadcast professional who spent fifteen years on the air in New York City, as well as during extended stays in New Orleans and Hartford, Connecticut. A U.S. Navy and Vietnam War veteran, he now lives and writes in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains in Northwest Arkansas.
1 Aircraft loss numbers were taken from Flying Forts: The B-17 in World War II, by Martin Caidin, and a copy of the official report on losses, provided by Peter Scott.
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