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1943
On May 7, 1943, Donald T. Atkinson was the flight
engineer and upper turret gunner on a B-17 traveling to Europe to
join the 100th Bomb Group. Well into this trip, the crew noticed
that they were well off course, victims of the German tactic of
disrupting the locational beams of American aircraft making their
way to the ETO. Unable to make land, Big Moose, as the crew
called her, expended her fuel and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean
about 150 miles off the coast of Iceland.
Thrown into the dark, freezing waters, Don
struggled frantically save his own life while attempting to assist
an injured crewman to a life raft floating upside down nearby. A
large wave hit the two, pulling the injured man from Don’s grasp. He
slipped away and was never seen again. After 30 days at sea, British
destroyers rescued the eight surviving crewmen of the Big Moose,
and they returned to the USA to be reassigned another plane and sent
on to England.
Fifty Years Later
Life becomes very exciting when history
resurfaces. And that is just the case for Don Atkinson and his crew.
Over 50 years since that fateful day in 1943, when Big Moose
slipped beneath the cold waves of the Atlantic, an Icelandic
fisherman’s deep sea fishing lines became entangled. When the lines
were pulled up, a part of 1943 history resurfaced. Remains of the
Big Moose had been snagged. The airplane parts made from
aluminum disintegrated and fell back into the ocean but the heavy
metal 55 caliber guns survived the rescue. The freezing Icelandic
waters had preserved them during those frigid years of submersion to
once again allow another WWII story to be told. And Icelandic man,
dedicated to exploring and preserving WWII history, tirelessly spent
years trying to uncover the names of the crew members who were
onboard this aircraft. The crewmembers of the Big Moose were
finally located and notified of this miraculous event. Needless to
say, they were all very elated and intensely surprised.
The resurfacing of the remains from this
unforgettable plane wreck once again rekindled the memories and
passions experienced by the crew that cold April night. Don’s
daughter Kay surprised her dad by planning a trip to Reykjavik,
Iceland, so he could be reunited directly with part of his past. "I
wanted to relive this adventure with Dad and really learn to
appreciate what he and so many others went through to ensure our
freedoms of today."
1999
So on July 26, 1999, in Iceland, the past was
reunited with the present as Don visited the recovered upper turret
gun to which he had been assigned on the Big Moose. It was
like being reacquainted with an old friend. "I’m sure that in an
instant Dad relived the sights, smells, sounds, fears, pain, and
confusion that occurred as the plane crashed into the cold and
stormy sea over 56 years ago. I watched him gently examined the
historic relic while he told us how the gun worked and the safety
measures needed to keep this weapon under control."
The gun had weathered its stay in the ocean and
only a few parts were needed to bring it back to its original
condition. "Dad was given a part of the gun (the ejector cam) that
couldn’t be restored due to corrosion, and was delighted to be able
to take a piece of his own history home with him. It was a reunion
between two survivors."
"The gun looks better than me and it’s been in
the ocean for over 50 years!" –Don Atkinson
Don and Kay learned a lot about the Icelanders
involvement with WWII during the trip and came away with a new
understanding of why the Icelandic people are so appreciative of the
efforts of the British and Americans during the war. "Dad was
treated with much respect and admiration as one who helped secure
the prosperity that Iceland appreciates today."
"I was honored to be able to experience this
merger of yesterday with today by watching Dad’s reunion with his
past. History is fascinating…especially if it involves loved ones
willing to tell their riveting and provocative stories."
"To partake of the sacrifices that the ‘Greatest
Generation’ experienced and survived restores and energizes future
generations." -- Kay Ball
"I learned a great deal from this reunion trip
not only intellectually, but also spiritually and emotionally. Dad’s
complete accounting of this remarkable event couples with his
genuine enthusiasm and passion helps me understand more about the
past and my heritage. The members of the Greatest Generation
definitely have an important story to tell, therefore, we must make
the time to listen to them. I’m so glad I did!" |