Melvin Recter B-17 Radio Operator/Gunner goes West

Left Seat · **Joined:** Thu Feb 13, 2014 5:44 pm **Posts:** 151

Not sure if this is old news:

94 year old, Master Sgt. Melvin Rector, a radio operator/gunner on B-17s and Memphis Belle passes on his “final mission" to England.

His trip was part of a travel program organized by "The National World War II Museum in New Orleans".

http://www.stripes.com/news/veterans/wwii-b-17-gunner-revisits-england-dies-at-battle-of-britain-bunker-1.411512
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/05/27/memphis-belle-gunner-revisits-england-dies-during-final-mission.html?intcmp=ob_article_sidebar_video&intcmp=obnetwork

bipe215 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 02, 2016 11:37 am

Mr. Rector was never on a combat mission aboard the Belle. He was 96th BG, Belle was 91st. When he flew his missions the Belle was a training aircraft stateside.

Left Seat · **Joined:** Thu Feb 13, 2014 5:44 pm **Posts:** 151

Should have caught that:

Final European mission for the Belle: 19 May 1943 at Kiel, Germany

Quote:

He <Melvin Recter> served there with the 96th Bomb Group in 1945 as a radio operator and gunner on B-17 Flying Fortress bombers, flying eight combat missions over Germany during the spring of the war's final year.

A big OOPS to ITV London News, Washington Post, Stars & Stripes, and PBS.

:roll:

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Melvin Recter B-17 Radio Operator/Gunner goes West

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