Large Crowd Turns Out to Hear About World War II from the Clouds

By Scott Wheeler

World War II is a thing of history books for many Americans, but for Lyndol “Lyndy” Palin of Derby, and Francis Angier of Williston, the war was the reality of their youth. A large crowd turned out to the Goodrich Memorial Library in Newport on Tuesday, October 9. Tuesday night to listen to the two men tell what it was like to fight the war from the clouds as B-17 bomber pilots with the Eighth Air Force. Palin survived the war unscathed but Angier’s plane was shot down. Severely injured, Angier was taken as a prisoner of war by German forces. Palin is seen in this photo holding a piece of shrapnel that routinely penetrated the planes. The event was hosted by Scott Wheeler, the publisher of Vermont’s Northland Journal.

Francis Angier signs a copy of his book, “Ready or Not: Into the Wild Blue” for Del Green of Derby. Angier’s book chronicles his life in the military including as a prisoner of war. To buy a copy of his book email him at francisangier@comcast.net

Among the more than 60 people who attended Tuesday night’s event were 11 other World War II veterans. Woody Pike of Newport was a pilot; Francis Angier of Williston was a B-17 pilot; Ted Chaffee of Newport served in Navy on a patrol boat, and Joe Queenin of Derby served in the Marines and was involved in the invasion of Okinawa. Bob Bigelow of Newport served in the Navy; Al Flint of Newport served in the Air Force; Andy Pepin of Newport served in the Army, and Lyndy Palin of Derby served in the Eigth Air Force as a B-17 pilot. Ken Jenness of Morgan served in the Army in World War II, the Korean, and the Vietnam War; John Cadieux of Newport served in the Navy Seabees in the invasion of Guam; David Reed of Craftsbury was a Marine during the invasion of Iwo Jima; Ed Parenteau of Derby Line served aboard a landing craft during the D-Day Invasion, and Reynold Choiniere of Newport served in the Merchant Marines during the war.