"My Day may-day"
Prints and story of Sgt
John Mont.
John was the Ball Turret Gunner of 'My Day', a B17 Flying Fortress
which
ditched off the Isle of Wight on Dec 30th 1943
Prints from the painting
by John Howard Worsley.
Featured in a jonzflicks
movie : See link at the bottom of this page
During the early
nineteen forties, Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of the American President,
wrote a
regular newspaper column which she headed "My Day".
It was in respect of this popular journal that a
B17 Flying Fortress was named by its pilot Lt. Phil Comella.
This was in the latter part of 1943 at Knettishall Aerodrome in
Suffolk, England.
"My Day's"
crew had all undergone intensive training in the U.S.A. to eventually
meet up at
Salt Lake City before embarkation on a troop ship to Britain.
Their drive at night from a South coast port to their new base
was somewhat enlivened by the threat of
an air raid as the sky was lit by falling flares. Welcome to the
war zone!
Assigned to the
560th Bomb Squadron, a part of the Great 388th Bomb Group, 45th
Combat Wing,
the young men were instantly embroiled in all-weather combat training
in the
crowded skies.
John Mont's story
eventually leads to the dramatic winter day when
"My Day" returned from a mission deep into enemy territory.
The engenes failed one by one until, with darkness falling, she
ditched into the sea just off St. Catherines Point on the Isle
of Wight.
See jonzflicks movie which includes this subject
Available as hand mounted prints 10"
x 8" , 14" x 11" , 20" x 16".
Canvas prints also available
to order