Forward
After more than sixty(60) years, I still have vivid memories of a World War II plane passing extremely low over my hometown of Pratt, Kansas. I can still hear the deafening roar of the plane as it barely missed my school and continued its doomed flight path to a farm field near the edge of town. To me, it has always been a mystery as to what really happened on that day.
When I had occasion to visit with my old classmate, Jack McCawley, In October 2001, he told me about plans to erect a Memorial Site at the former Pratt Army Air Field. I decided to research this incident starting only with my memories and an article from the Pratt Daily Tribune, dated 24 September 1943, concerning the crash. Subsequently, the research developed into the publication of this book. It is a story of a heroic young Air Force pilot and his courageous wife.
The first edition of this book was published in 2003, and a second edition followed in 2004. Along with numerous additions and modifications, the third edition in 2005 also focuses on the personal story of the pilot and his wife. Her views are written in her own words. Concerning these two, Tom Crawford, editor of Staples World, recently wrote, “The story of Jack and Holly Shriver's World War II romance is a storyline begging for the movie to be produced.”Pat Smith of the Greensburg Daily News called the pilot a "local hero" in a current headline. The crew, itself, is heralded by Jean Davies, a writer for the Barnesville Enterprise who wrote, “With the courageous and skillful handling by the crippled plane's crew, the city of Pratt escaped vast destruction and many, many lives were spared.”
Included in this 2007, fourth edition, is a Citation, dated 22 January 2007, which states that the U.S. Air Force Medal with Valor was posthumously granted, under the authority of the President of the United States, to Lt. Jack G. Shriver.
To this author, all present and future generations should have the opportunity to know of the efforts by which World War II was won. To this end, this book is a little piece of history revisited. The uniqueness of this book is that it's heroic story unfolds over the very Heartland of America itself.
I am especially grateful to Jack D. McCawley for his interest and assistance; to LaVern “Holly” Shriver for her memories and inspiration; to my wife Ruth, for her encouragement, support and patience.
Rodney B. Dyerly Major USAFR (Ret.) 2007