Silent Reflection
by James Dietz
| A tribute to the heroic aircrews of the U.S. Eighth Air Force |
"The Americans gave us the best they had…..they were the bravest of the brave…… " were just some of the words chosen by Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur ‘Bomber’ Harris to describe the heroism of those who served with the U.S. Eighth Air Force during World War II, their daylight bombing campaign playing a major part in the defeat of Nazi Germany. In over three years of operations the bombers of the ‘Mighty Eighth’ inflicted destruction on a scale such that the enemy never recovered. This print has been conservation mounted to include the original signatures of Clarence 'Bud' Anderson and B-17 pilot Dewayne Bennett. |
| Overall size: 21⅞" x 15⅜" | Image size: 14½" x 8¾" |
| Special Presentation | Signed by the artist - matted with pilot signatures | $245 |
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C.E. 'Bud' Anderson 'Bud' Anderson went to England with the 357th Fighter Group in 1943, the first 8th Air Force group to be equipped with Mustangs. On 29th June 1944, leading his squadron on a mission to Leipzig, they ran into a formation of Fw190s. In the ensuing battle Anderson shot down the leader, and two others. After a short rest in the US he returned for a second tour, arriving back just in time for the 357th's big day on 28th November. With the 353rd they took on a huge formation of some 200 enemy fighters, Anderson adding three more to his score. His final victory came in another fierce contest west of Berlin, and he finished the war with 16 air victories. |
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Dewayne Bennett 'Ben' Bennett, along with his crew, had been assigned to the 545th Bomb Squadron, 384th BG. He had finished his flight training in the U.S., soloed, was assigned a copilot and in Ben´s words "Away we went". After arrival in Europe Ben first flew a few relatively uneventful missions. Then April 13th came, a day that he and his crew would remember clearly for a lifetime - The Schweinfurt mission. Following their attack on the target, Bennett’s B-17G "Squakin'Chicken" was the only surviving aircraft of the 545th. |
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