New Book from a WWII Veteran

[Runtoeat]

My friend recently returned from is winter in Florida and he said he had met a WWII veteran who had been a B17 tailgunner. This vet's name is Ken Tucker and Ken and his daughter, Wanda, have published a book titled "Last Roll Call" which honors Ken's B17 crew members. This is an extremely good book and I highly recommend that you visit Ken's website, which I've attached below. Copies of this book are currently traveling aboard the "Yankee Lady" and the "Liberty Belle", two B17's that currently are being flown and shown in various air shows in the U.S., and is offered for sale at the various stops these aircraft make. The book can also be purchased directly thru the following website. Ken Tucker is a couragious veteran who gave his all to insure that we have the liberties we currently enjoy and he is also a man of honor to produce his book to insure that his crew is not forgotten. We are loosing WWII veterans fast and guys like Ken will soon no longer be with us. Based on the correspondence I've had with both Ken and Wanda, they are pleasantly surprised that their book has demonstrated the interest it has, eventhough it is being sold privately and and not thru a national publisher. Please take a few minutes to visit their website if you can. I was glad that I took the time to let Ken know that I very much appreciate he and his crew's service to our country.

http://lastrollcall.net/default.aspx

[Jim Meade]

The book sounds interesting and I'll look it up. I also learned something. Before, I'd thought "gave his all" meant he died. I guess not.

[Runtoeat]

Hi Jim. I didn't mean to imply that Mr. Tucker is no longer with us. Ken Tucker currently resides in Florida. I keep my plane at Willow Run airport here in Michigan which is where the B-24 bombers were produced. The Yankee Airforce is also located here at Willow Run airport and they have the B-17 named "Yankee Lady". I follow behind this bomber with my plane sometimes when it goes up with passengers and it is beautiful sight to see on a late afternoon flight with green coutryside below. Yankee Lady's flights are viewed with renewed interest now that I have read about Ken Tucker's account of being a B-17 tailgunner in "Last Roll Call".

[Jim Meade]

I've been into Willow Run several times in the C401, King Air and Citation 1 on medical flights. I didn't know there was a B-17 there. I'm looking forward to reading the book.

[Runtoeat]

Hi Jim. The Yankee Air Force has a B-17 (Yankee Lady) and a B-25 Mitchell (Yankee Warrior). Both are in immaculate condition and the YAF provides rides for a fee thru the summer. There is also a static display of various aircraft on the Northeast corner of KYIP which you may have seen when you last were here? (Pretty hard to miss the B-52 that is there!) The story of Willow Run itself is an amazing story about the production of B-24's during the war. At it's peak, the Willow Run plant was building 650 B-24's per month (one B-24 every hour). A total of 9,000 were built for the war there and a overall total of 18,000 B-24's were built in the U.S.

http://www.yankeeairmuseum.org/site_map.php

http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=73

 

Next time you come to KYIP, give me a call at 734.699.4970 and I'll buy lunch.

[Jim Meade]

When we got into Willow Run, we were at a kind of decrepid office that arranged medical flights and we didn't have time to see anything. So, I didn't get a chance to tour. I'm not flying charter anymore, so probably won't be able to make it up there, but thanks kindly for the offer.