by Steve Snyder | Sep 15, 2014 | Historical
On December 1, 1943, my father flew a bombing mission to Soligen, Germany. His crew’s ball turret gunner Louis Colwart had been injured on a November 26 mission to Bremen and could not go. His replacement was 19 year Philip Mundell who was flying on his very...
by Steve Snyder | Sep 10, 2014 | Historical
In 1944, Luftwaffe pilot, Hans Berger, shot down my father’s B-17. Today in 2014, my youngest son had lunch with Hans Berger! On February 8, 1944, two Focke-Wulf 190 German fighter planes attacked the 306th Bomb Group B-17 Susan Ruth over the French/Belgian...
by Steve Snyder | Sep 2, 2014 | Historical
On September 2, 1944, the 9th U.S. Infantry Division entered Belgium from France, crossing over the Wartoise River at Forge-Philppe, near Cendron and liberated the country from four years of Nazi occupation and oppression. On that same day, my father, pilot of the...
by Steve Snyder | Aug 28, 2014 | Historical
It’s a tale often told. The wartime bomber shot down, the crew bailout, but what happens next to B-17 pilot Howard Snyder is an incredible story of bravery and survival. In his book, Shot Down, author and the pilot’s son, Steve Snyder describes his father’s wartime...
by Steve Snyder | Aug 20, 2014 | Historical
Today, my wife and I are flying to England to retrace my father’s footsteps while he was stationed at Thurleigh with the 306th Bomb Group. Of course, we’ll be doing some sightseeing while in London, but the highlight will be going out to the countryside...
by Steve Snyder | Aug 18, 2014 | Historical
During the writing of my book, Shot Down, my wife, Glenda, suggested that I try to find the German fighter pilot who shot down my dad’s plane. My initial reaction was, “Yeah right. There’s no way.” However, I said I’d try and searched...
