Bird of Prey

During World War II, America placed its faith in the young lads who had just finished with high school. Experienced military commanders and career soldiers were ready, but "the troops" were made up of those young men who held other hopes for their futures. Duty called and they bravely met that call. Many, like Marvin W. Coffee, came from small towns and probably most had never been but a few miles from their homes. As we look back we can take a closer look how our war was won by these quickly trained young folks.

How would one expect that a 21 year old fellow from the small farming community of Salem, Ohio would be the pilot of a B-17 and lead his crew on twenty seven combat missions? The farthest he had been from his northeaster Ohio town was a trip to Chicago when he won a rural electrification award. Would this young pilot's parents ever imagine that his experience driving a tractor on their small farm would provide him with the knowledge that allowed him and his crew to get their downed plane out of the war torn ground of Belgium and back to their home base in Nuthampstead, England?

This story is not an unusual story but it is one that was lived by many of our young men who served their country in that perilous war. We are thankful for their service and for their willingness to share some of their experience.