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‘Flying coffin’ glider pilot from WWII gets overdue Bronze Star
Little known are the 6,000 World War II glider pilots who were towed into combat zones, in a one-way flight to drop off soldiers and supplies. Bob Swenson, 90, of Bellevue, finally is getting an overdue Bronze Star medal for his heroism.
By Erik Lacitis
Seattle Times staff reporter
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WWII glider pilot Bob Swenson, 90, shares old photographs at his Bellevue home. Swenson was belatedly awarded the Bronze Star.
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LINDSEY WASSON / THE SEATTLE TIMES
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There is something about guys like Bob Swenson, who for two days back in World War II took part in a heroic mission. Bodies were on the ground, gunned down by the Germans.
Swenson is now 90, retired as a bank analyst for the state and living in Bellevue. He’s very low-key about how earlier this month he finally got the Bronze Star for bravery in action on March 24, 1945.
He was a pilot on a glider sometimes nicknamed “The Flying Coffin.” It was an unwieldy flying crate that carried up to 15 men on a one-way trip. It’s hard to imagine the nearly 49-foot-long things flying, but they did.
http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2021630149_gliderpilotxml.html