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Week of Saturday, July 21, 2012
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Seniors
Events
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Saturday, July 21, 2012 |
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
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Western Museum of Flight, 3315 Airport Dr., Torrance
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Charles “Norm” Stevens grew up in Inglewood. At 18 he joined the Army Air Corps (1943) at the age of 18 and discharged after the war in October 1945. Stevens, now 79, describes what it felt like to find himself in the Plexiglas nose of a B-17 flying bombing raids over Germany. Stevens researched his book with trips to the National Archives in Washington, D.C., to bolster his own recollections.
He served as a bombardier on a B-17 in the 8th Air Force, 351st Bomb Group (351st BG) in England (summer/fall, 1944). He served as a listed as 1st Lieutenant in the 509th BS, 351st Bomb Group. Yet on this short tour of duty, Stevens completed 34 bombing missions over Germany and occupied France, Belgium and Holland. (351st BG charged with 279 B17 Flying Fortresses flying 9,075 sorties with 7,945 of them dropping 20,778 tons of bombs. The 351st gunners fired off 2,776,028 rounds of ammunition destroying 303 enemy aircraft.)
After returning from overseas he trained as a radar bombardier at Langley Field, Virginia and Williams Field, Arizona. He was to be assigned to a B-29 crew for duty in the Pacific when the war ended.
Following the war he enrolled at UCLA, graduating with a BA in psychology. After a series of graduate courses he earned his teaching credential. For 32 years Stevens taught science and mathematics in junior high schools and English and American Literature in high school. While teaching he earned a master’s degree in English at California State College at Los Angeles.
He retired in 1984 and has lived a life of reading, writing, traveling and being a grandfather. His latest book, “Back From Combat: A World War II Bombardier Faces His Military Future”, will be available for purchase and signing. Steven’s two prior books, “An Innocent at Polebrook: A Memoir of an 8th Air Force Bombardier” and “The Innocent Cadet: Becoming a WWII Bombardier” will also be available.
As always, WMOF Members are free; non-members are $5, which also includes access to WMOF museum exhibits. Free parking. BTW, a WMoF membership (www.wmof.com/newmem.htm) can be yours for as little as $50 annually giving you one-year unlimited FREE admission to the WMoF museum, all the Celebrity Series Lectures, Quarterly Newsletters, access to the research library and access to Special Events.
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Saturday, July 21, 2012 |
8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
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Wilson Park Gazebo 2200 Crenshaw Blvd, Torrance
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For audiences seeking quality, family entertainment, Shakespeare by the Sea's free performances can't be beat. Pack a picnic, a blanket and beach chair, gather loved ones, and settle in under the stars for a night of classic entertainment.
Admission is FREE
(donations gratefully accepted)
July 20 is Romeo and Juliet
July 21 is Two Gentlemen of Verona
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Week of Saturday, July 21, 2012
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