FORMER TAIL-GUNNER REMEMBERS WWII EXPERIENCE
Monday, February 15th, 2010 -- 10:35 AM
Kwik Trip convenience stores, including those in our area, are busy raising money to send World War II veterans to Washington D.C.La Crosse-based ?Freedom Honor Flight? is a non-profit group that flies World War II vets to their Memorial in our nation?s capital. The veterans do not pay for this activity.
Milton Schoengarth of Neillsville was at Kwik Trip Friday. He served overseas during World War II as a tail-gunner. He?s never been to the Memorial in D.C., and is helping raise money for the flight.
Schoengarth was stationed in France, Germany and England. He had a hair-raising experience as a tailgunner.
"An airplane pretty near ran over me in mid-air," Schoengarth recalls. "Our plane was all shot to pieces. We had to crash land. I refused to crash land."
So, he ejected. While parachuting, he was nearly struck by another plane.
"Some dummy came right behind me. I had my arms in the air, my legs in the air. I was making as much noise as I could, of course, he couldn't hear me," he recalls.
You can make donations for the Freedom Honor Flights at area Kwik Trips through February 25th.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.