Mr. Thomas J. Glide

Fortresses: an Airman's Story of Survival Mr. Thomas J. Glide

In the fall of '44, eight brave souls left Debach Air Base in Suffolk, England, heavily armed, heading for Germany and a highly protected target. They didn't know what would happen, or if they'd make it back. On that day, the crew of "The Purple Heart" would fly at high altitude and ward off subzero temperatures, flak, and enemy fighters over the skies of Germany. Moments after dropping thier bombs, another crippled B-17 crashed into thier plane, shearing it in half, and catapulting radio operator, Jack Glide, deep into enemy territory- parachute in hand- and into the clutches of the Nazi SS. This is his story.