The Almost Forgotten Airman
The story of Staff Sgt. Joe Slight, B-17 Mechanic and Top Turret Gunner
As time passes since the second Great War, memories fade, untouched shoeboxes of mementos in the attic get lost, forgoten or destroyed, families grow apart, and our heroes pass on. We are quickly losing our lifeline of communication to those of the greatest generation. Our mission of educating future generations is imperative to the lifeblood of the Commemorative Air Force, and imperative for
keeping the memories and legacies of our heroes
alive.
One such member of the future generation is a young boy named Wyatt. We met at his first air show at Wendover Airfield, a wonderful piece of history in the west Utah desert that saw the training of many WWII heavy bomber crews, including many B17 squadrons and even the Enola Gay before she headed west toward her most famous mission.
Most of us shared the enthusiasm of this young man at some point in our lives: wide-eyed and amazed by the hulking WWII bombers, fighters and trainers, impressed by the aerobatic antics of the performers above, and intrigued by the men and women in tan flight suits eager to explain all the intricate details of their aircraft to any attendee willing to listen.
Young Wyatt has a special story that connects him to these airplanes, this airport and to these flyers: In his hand he clutches a faded and wrinkled photograph of a B17 crew from 1944. He approaches me under the nose of the Warbird Warrior Foundation’s PVN2 Harpoon, Attu Warrior, where I am stationed as part of my duties today as a sponsor and pilot, and says, “Can you help me find out about my great uncle?”
