"..the war is finally over, and your son is very thankful. I never expected to come out of this alive, but the Lord was with me." |
It was to be a journey, of remarkable coincidence or perhaps a remarkable moment of fate, that all began in 2008 - when 150 long lost and forgotten letters from WWII were discovered in a musty attic in Eastern Pennsylvania. They were to be discovered purely by accident, some 63 years after our Nation emerged victorious from the largest conflict the world had ever seen, by hurried workers busily gathering items for an auction just days away. Be it by chance or by fate, the letters were mistakenly sold a short time later at that very auction...purely, by accident. It never should have happened. Or perhaps, it wasn't an "accident" at all. Some would say there is no such thing as "accidents" in life, only moments of fate in the greater destiny of things that are meant to be. |
Three years later, the moment would be set for a remarkable reunion, and an even more incredible story nearly 70 years in the making. |
Learn more about the exciting new book "For Mother and Country...a B-29er's War"
Sgt Lemal's B-29 "Limber Richard" 44-70072, X-55 of the 9th Bomb Group, 99th Squadron - 313th Bomb Wing |
Listen to the audio recording of an actual B-29 mission over Japan. Let us never forget...
In the news
The incredible story of Trevor McIntyre reuniting Sgt David J. Lemal, a WWII Veteran of 22 combat missions to Japan as a B-29 Tail Gunner, with the 150 "lost" letters he wrote home to his parents during the war has gained media attention! Sgt Lemal had no idea his mother had kept the letters after the war, nor that they were "accidently" sold in 2008. Even more incredible is that Trevor had no idea Dave was still alive when he later purchased the letters off eBay in February 2010, and only learned otherwise after he began writing a book in tribute to the man who penned them so long ago, believing he was deceased and determined to make his amazing story known. After he contacted the 9th Bomb Group Association seeking additional information about Dave and the crew of his B-29, he was in for the shock of his life: Dave was still very much alive! In August 2011, Dave would finally get to see the letters again that he wrote home almost seven decades ago. Below are some selected stories about this amazing reunion that was nearly 70 years in the making: |
11Alive News - A veteran's letters get returned...66 years later
USA Today - Special delivery returns WWII-era letters to vet
Air Force Times - Vet’s letters, sold on eBay, return to author
9News - Vet reunited with letters he wrote during WWII
News Center 23 - Letters From The Past
Dave Lemal and Trevor McIntyre, August 2011 |
Updates
The first draft of "Mother and Country" was recently completed, and is currently under revision. |
Copyright © Trevor McIntyre, 2011. All rights reserved.