After the bombs were dropped on Japan, the "Ruptured Duck, was low on fuel and crash landed in the ocean near China. The plane flipped over on impact and all the crew members except Thatcher were seriously injured.
he was knocked out, but soon regained consciousness and gathered the rest of the crew, administered first aid and convince Chinese guerrillas to take them safely inland and away from Japanese patrols.
Mr. Thatcher was born July 31, 1921, in Bridger, Montana, one of ten children.
After the war, he worked for the U.S. postal service for 30 years.
--GreGen
My Cooter's History Blog has become about 80% World War II anyway, so I figured to start a blog specific to it, especially since we're commemorating its 70th anniversary and we are quickly losing this "Greatest Generation." The quote is taken from Pearl Harbor survivor Frank Curre, who was on the USS Tennessee that day. He died Dec. 7, 2011, seventy years to the day. His photo is below at right.
Friday, June 24, 2016
One of Two Remaining Doolittle Raiders Dies: David Thatcher-- Part 2
Labels:
Doolittle's Raiders,
Montana
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