Maplewood resident Eileen Duggan’s father, Les Duggan Jr., a B-17 co-pilot in World War II, was scheduled to fly a combat mission to Germany, but another pilot took his place. The bomber was shot down, and Lt. Duggan was spared.
Les Duggan and his two brothers who served were residents of Richmond Heights, nephews of the long-running mayor Lee Duggan.
Eileen Duggan wrote about it recently in a piece entitled, The Crew — Dec. 1, 1943, in her blog, Versatiliosity.
Her story begins:
On Dec. 1, 1943, my father didn’t die. But the rest of his B-17 bomber crew did. And he spent the rest of his life trying to fulfill the purpose for which he was spared.
Read Duggan’s full story about her father here.
