N.C. man's remains buried after 57 years (missing WW2 soldier)

Durham Herald-Sun (Durham, NC) ^ | January 8, 2003 | The Associated Press

[Constitution Day]

Related story from 11/24/2002 Raleigh News and Observer: (all photos from N&O)

Brave quest for the fallen:
A team on a 13,000-foot peak in New Guinea looks for what may be remains of a North Carolina soldier lost in 1945

The B-25 crash site is at the center of the yellow circle; above and to the left is the helicopter landing pad where the recovery team pitched tents.
Photo by Greg Probst, Courtesy of Freeport-Mcmoran Copper & Gold

Lt. Fred Smith, U.S. Army Air Corps

The grave of Lt. Fred Lewis Smith in Denton is visited by his sisters, Annie Lee Allen, left, and Jettie Smith, who hope to hear from the recovery team.
Staff Photo by John Rottet

Sgt. 1st Class Sean Bendele holds leather gloves found in wreckage, preserved by the perpetual cold.
Courtesy of U.S. Army Central Identification Lab

[Constitution Day]

Here's a break from the "all-John-Edwards, all-the-time" fare we've been seeing lately.

Although our country is gearing up for a new war on the other side of the globe, it's important to remember these heroes - both the fallen and the survivors - and the sacrifices they made.

I think of them every day.
This is because I proudly display in my home the medals, photo and dogtag of my grandfather, SSGT Moses Baker, U.S. Army Air Corps, 1942-1946.

Respectfully,
CD

[G.Mason]

Excellent post.

Thanks

[TonyInOhio]

Great post, as always, CD.

Thanks.

Tony

[Lee'sGhost]

They were giants. My father also was in the Air Corps. Tail gunner on a B-24. I got to tour the one they rebuilt and flew into RDU about nine years ago. I couldn't believe how small they were by today's standards.

[Rebelbase]

Lots of good people in Denton.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

An honor guard fired a 21-gun salute and a bugler played taps.

Three rifle volleys, not a 21-gun salute.

[Constitution Day]

FYI.

[Constitution Day]

You're welcome.
Thanks for checking it out.

CD

[csvset]

Thanks for posting this. I didn't know that they had such high mountains there.

[Constitution Day]

According to my mom, my grandpa never spoke much about the war when they were growing up, and I personally never heard him mention it until the day he gave me his uniform, etc.

I do know that he supervised the loading of bombs on aircraft, and was stationed in Tunisia, England and (maybe) Sicily.

[RGSpincich]

Thank you for posting this.

[Constitution Day]

Thanks.

BTTT.

[Constitution Day]

I didn't either, and apparently there's gold in them thar hills!

(See caption of first photo: "Photo by Greg Probst, Courtesy of Freeport-Mcmoran Copper & Gold")

[Luke FReeman]

Thank You.

[krb]

Do you know which B-24? My grandfather was a navigator on a B-24, the Squirrely Shirley.

[SAMWolf]

Thanks for the ping.!

Lt. Fred Smith

[Jonah Hex]

Thanks for this article. I lost three uncles during WWII, one at Ploesti in '42, a second lost at sea during naval flight training, and the third in a B-29 crash. It's good to hear some brave soul's remains returned to his native soil.

A NC native bump...

[Constitution Day]

You're welcome.

BTTT

[johnny7]

My father also was in the Air Corps. Tail gunner on a B-24.

My uncle was a bombadier on a B-26.

When we were little he told is he bailed out over France. HA! He was just spreading the BS.

Before he died, he told me the truth. The Germans always knew of their approach and concentrayed their flak accordingly.

The bombers couldn't break formation and had to go thru it. Scarey stuff.