Docents Corner

Summer, 2006

A few weeks ago a gentleman came up to the docents and told me that his Dad flew in B-17’s in England and he thought that his Bomb Group had been the 390th. I checked for his name in the roster of all members of the 390th that is located at the docents’ desk. His Dad’s name was in that roster, so I checked the air crew photo locater and then asked the gentleman to follow me. I took him directly to the photo of his Dad’s aircrew. There was his Dad, big as life and twice as handsome. The gentleman was very pleased to find his Dad’s aircrew picture. He said that he did not have a copy of that photo, so I took the photo off the wall and took it in to Andy. I asked Andy if he would make a copy of the photo for the gentleman. He said “Yes, but it will take me a little while to do that.” The gentleman went on his way and came back in about an hour to get his photo.

He is now a member of the 390th Memorial Foundation and a very pleased man with a picture of his Dad and the crew as well as the history of his Dad’s combat missions. It is a real pleasure when I am able to do that for a person attending our Museum.

The person who came into the museum that day was Steve Rothe. His father’s name was Carl Rothe and he was co-pilot on Wachs’ crew.

Richard Bushong, Docent