October 9th, 1942, 72 years ago today, my grandfather Michael ‘Leo’ Reardon and the crew of B-24 41-23678 “Big Eagle” took off on the first mission of the 330th. Headed towards Lille France, it would be not only their first mission, but also their last. The Big Eagle would be the first and only combat loss on that mission. 4 men, including my grandfather, bailed out as their plane went down taking the rest of the crew with them. My grandfather would spend the rest of the war in a prison camp after being turned in. I never got to know my grandfather, he died when I was very young and was quiet about his days in service, save for his war journal that we still have today. Id like to thank our service members, past and present for the sacrifices they make. I would also like to thank historical groups such as this, which help preserve the history that can be lost. For years I wondered about my grandfather and his plane, but through the help of historians and social groups, I gathered more than I could have hoped for. I have only found one photograph of my grandfathers plane the “Bid Eagle” through the help of a gentlemen named Bob Livingston and his website. The photo is below of the plane during production. This part of our history, my family’s history, can better be preserved with the help of veterans and their families. Thank you all!
Posted on: Thu, 09 Oct 2014 12:33:02 +0000
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