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WWII Vet Flies Again at 102!
8 Jun
Summary
- A 102-year-old military veteran revisited his World War Two airfield.
- He flew in a glider and briefly controlled the aircraft.
- The veteran was a prisoner of war in Germany for 14 months.
Casimer "Casey" Bukowski, a 102-year-old military veteran, experienced a poignant return to the airfield where he was stationed during World War Two. The surprise birthday event took place at the former RAF Ridgewell base in Essex, England.
Bukowski, who arrived from New York as a teenager in 1943, served with the 381st Bomb Group. He was a waist gunner on Boeing B-17 aircraft and was shot down over Germany in February 1944, subsequently spending 14 months as a prisoner of war before liberation in April 1945.
Volunteers at the Ridgewell museum, which now operates at the historic site, orchestrated the special occasion. Bukowski was treated to a glider flight, offering him a bird's-eye view of the runway he once knew. He also had the unique opportunity to briefly pilot the aircraft, calling the experience "another experience for me to brag about."
