BEYOND THE BYLINE: All veterans are too important to ever forget

Home News BEYOND THE BYLINE: All veterans are too important to ever forget Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin ReddIt Email Print By Bill O’Boyle [email protected] Bill O’Boyle The cover of ‘Tidal Wave,’ which was written by Adam Makos, whose family is from Plymouth. Courtesy of Adam Makos ❮ ❯ 🔊 Listen to this WILKES-BARRE — I hope you all took the time to read our story on Adam Makos’ new book —“Tidal Wave” — that ran in Sunday’s Times Leader. It is a fascinating story of an amazing World War II bombing mission and it has numerous ties to Northeast Pennsylvania. Makos, whose family is from Plymouth, said “Tidal Wave” has a unique connection to the Wyoming Valley — and he expects it to be his second book to be made into a movie. I know the Makos family well. Adam’s uncle Mike played basketball at Plymouth High High School in the 1960s and Adam’s dad, Bob, played Little League around the same time I was. Adam’s grandfather, Mike Sr., was a WWII veteran and a friend of my dad. “Growing up, I read of the numerous men from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton who flew Operation Tidal Wave — the raid on Hitler’s Gas Station at Ploesti, Romania — and several who died on it,” Makos said. “It was America’s most daring, dramatic, and most highly decorated air mission in history.” The story is amazing — Operation Tidal Wave was the most highly decorated and bloodiest air mission in history — 5 Medals of Honor, 56 Distinguished Service Crosses, and every man received the Distinguished Flying Cross. More Medals of Honor were awarded than for D-Day. And 1,700 Distinguished Flying Crosses — one for every man who flew the mission. “They flew arguably the most spectacular mission in military history, and many of them paid for it with their lives — 45 bombers were shot down by enemy fire, a quarter of those that set out,” Makos said. “The casualty rate was the highest of any single air mission in American history.” But, Makos said, so was the valor. Here are some stats Makos and his brother, Bryan, found: • 18 men from Pennsylvania died in the raid. • 6 Luzerne County men perished, the most of any county in the state. Two were from Wilkes-Barre and one each from Hazleton, Huntington Mills, Plains Township and Plymouth. The remains of only one — Ayers, 22, of Plymouth — returned here for burial. He was laid to rest in St. Vincent’s Cemetery in Larksville. • Those who died from Luzerne County included Ayers, Schappert, Toth, Kase, Claude Ipher of Huntington Mills, and Jenkins. “I don’t think anyone knows that Kase was on one of the most famous bombers in the greatest raid in Air Force history,” Makos said. Makos said the story follows Lt. Ernie Poulson’s B-24, called Chattanooga Choo Choo, which flew in front of Ole Kickapoo. Makos, 45, of Naples, Florida, has always drawn inspiration from the same person: his grandfather, Mike Makos, who flew heavy bombers at the tail end of World War II. ”I thought his service was remarkable — dropping boats from his B-17 to aircrews downed at sea,” Makos said. “He inspired me to learn more, and in every book I read there were stories about this famous singular raid against Hitler’s oil refineries — Operation Tidal Wave. I never imagined back then that I’d get to write a book that would bring the raid back to life. In his book, “Devotion,” Makos told the inspirational story of the Navy’s most famous aviator duo — Lt. Tom Hudner and Ensign Jesse Brown — and the Marines they fought to defend. That book became a successful movie. Locals who survived Ploesti • 1st Lt. Harold J. Laudig — Kingston, Aircraft: Old Crow • S/Sgt. John J. Galinus — Plymouth, Aircraft: The Golden Sandstorm • 1st Lt. Raymond T. Gallagher — Scranton • 2nd Lt. Charles A. Hoffman — Scranton • Tech. Sgt. Frederick H. Homnick — Wilkes-Barre • Tech. Sgt. Thomas A. Laskowski Jr. — Scranton, Aircraft: Wing and a Prayer Locals killed at Ploesti • 2nd Lt. Donald Jenkins — Forty Fort, Aircraft: B-24D Lil Joe • 2nd Lt. John T. Ayers — Plymouth, Aircraft: Forky II • S/Sgt. Thomas F. Schappert — Wilkes-Barre, Aircraft: Scrappy II • S/Sgt. James J. Toth — Wilkes-Barre, Aircraft: Maternity Ward • Tech. Sgt. Louis Kase — Hazleton, Aircraft: Ole Kickapoo About the book Makos said the book mentions a fascinating figure from NEPA whose story is largely unknown: Tech. Sgt. Louis Kase of Hazleton. Kase was on the most highly decorated bomber crew in the European Theater during World War II. Makos said Kase was the radio operator of the B-24 Ole Kickapoo — the bomber flying behind the book’s hero, Ernie Poulson, during Operation Tidal Wave. “Kase’s bomber was hit and streaming gasoline, and his pilot did a heroic act earning the Medal of Honor,” Makos said. “Ernie watched Ole Kickapoo crash, killing eight of the 10 crewmen—including Kase. It’s also historic because it’s believed to be the first Medal of Honor captured in a photo.” Makos said 310 Americans gave their lives — men like much of the crew of Ole Kickapoo, and they did help bring about an earlier end to the most terrible war in human history. “Are we a country that remembers our heroes, those audacious young men who flew into the jaws of hell?” Makos asked. “Or will they be just a footnote in history? These people are too important to forget.” Yes, all veterans are too important to ever forget. That’s why I stood and watched Sunday’s Wyoming Valley Veterans Day Parade. I am proud to be an American, as my dad instilled that pride in me. To all veterans — thank you for your service. Local journalism matters, and your support makes it possible. You can help sustain this work by making a donation or choosing one of our subscription options. Subscribers enjoy valuable benefits, including full access to our e-edition, a reduced ad experience on timesleader.com, and more. Your support helps ensure independent, high-quality local news remains available today and for future generations. Thank you for standing with local journalism. Click for subscription offers. Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.