"No, I Have to be Able to Fly This Plane Back to England"

From the Jan. 22, 2012, My SA (San Antonio's Home Page.

Harry Seidel died January 20th at age 88.

At the onset of the war, he was working on B-17 bombers at Kelly Airfield and dreamed of flying a "Flying Fortress." He enlisted in the Army Air Force, became a pilot and flew 23 missions over Germany.

He received a Purple Heart on his final mission over Dresden. They had completed their run and were on the way back home when the plane was hit. The pilot was killed immediately. Mr. Seidel, as co-pilot, was hit in the stomach and elbow. Although losing blood rapidly, he took control. They were now down to two engines and the landing gear was damaged.

He was offered morphine for the pain, but replied, "No, I have to be able to fly this plane back to England." According to his son Sam Seidel, "He had one mission, and that was saving everyone's lives."

Mr. Seidel safely landed the plane in Molesworth, England.

It took him two years to recover from his wounds. Returning to the United States, he got lucky at poker and won enough to start Seidel Iron Works which does intricate welding on many historic structures, including the Joske Building, the River Walk ironwork and brass planters and railings at Trinity University.

America's Greatest. --GreGen