Another Hero flies west

[Skip Miller]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/26/us/26zeamer.html?ref=obituaries

Major Jay Zeamer Jr. was awarded the Medal of Honor, earned two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Silver Stars and two Air Medals for his service in the South Pacific.

-Skip

 

[Frank Browne]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/26/us/26zeamer.html?ref=obituaries

Major Jay Zeamer Jr. was awarded the Medal of Honor, earned two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Silver Stars and two Air Medals for his service in the South Pacific.

-Skip

IIRC there were two Medals of Honor awarded for the flight that earned Zeamer his. It's a miracle anyone at all survived that mission.

Fair skies forever Col. Zeamer.

 

[tonycondon]

incredible

 

[Skip Miller]

IIRC there were two Medals of Honor awarded for the flight that earned Zeamer his. It's a miracle anyone at all survived that mission.

Fair skies forever Col. Zeamer.

Thanks for posting that link, Frank. I couldn't read it without getting all choked up....

-Skip

 

[Frank Browne]

Thanks for posting that link, Frank. I couldn't read it without getting all choked up....

-Skip

You're quite welcome Skip. I first read of Jay Zeamer and the mission to photograph the upper Solomons many years ago in a book by Martin Caidin called The Flying Fortress in which he chronicled that flight. An excellent book with many other stories of heroism and courage.

 

[Bill]

Thanks for posting that link, Frank. I couldn't read it without getting all choked up....

-Skip

Ditto. What sacrifice, knowing all the young boys that would be hitting those beaches.

 

[astanley]

Reading such links at work is a really bad idea.

Smooth skies, Col. Zeamer.

-Andrew

 

[KennyFlys]

We're losing these men far too fast. I only hope history is continued with accuracy to reflect the sacrifices of men like this who came home and the hundreds of thousands more who didn't.

Colonel Zeamer, Smooth flight ahead, Sir. Thank you.


Here's more about this great man.

 

[Frank Browne]

Here's more about this great man.

The interesting thing about Zeamer's MoH citation is that he, as the pilot, was credited with a Zero shot down. He had his ground crew rig up .50 cal machine gun on top of the nose of the B-17 just in front of the pilots side windscreen. After making a pass from the rear, the Zero leapfrogged over Fortress and when in front, Zeamer fired and destroyed the Zeke. I know of no other bomber pilot credited with an aerial kill while flying the aircraft.

 

[Lawreston]

My computer was kaput for the last week, so I'm behind schedule in currency of events, here. Y'all know I'm not adverse to heralding our Maine boys to those "from away." Check the exploits of another Maine hero -- now deceased -- whose widow was just presented the Medal of Honor flag. It was in the same era as Jay Zeamer, but the hail of bullets was on the ground.

http://www.bangordailynews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=147911&zoneid=500

HR

 

[Lawreston]

http://www.wcsh6.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=56075

HR