THE CREW OF RIKKI TIKKI TAVI
Eugene Moran: Gene was one of three 19-year-olds on the crew, along with Swedo and Andy. Everyone called him "Mo'."
Samuel Amatulli: Nicknamed "Sparky," Gene believed this Bronx city kid was crazy, in a fun way. But Sparky knew his radio equipment and was an excellent back up gunner.
Edmund Swedo: Simply called "Swedo," this quiet Catholic boy from Chicago had a beautiful singing voice. He sang "Paper Doll" during the final moments before Rikki Tikki Tavi went down.
Wilbert Provost: The shortest member of the crew, this Texas native was Gene's best friend. Late in his life, Gene remembered well the final words of "Pee Wee" before he died.
Anderson King: Andy always brought a smile to Gene's face when he remembered how many times the crew had to fetch the hard-partying Oklahoman from lock up by the military police.
Walter Reed: Known as the "Quiet One," Walt liked to stay in his quarters when Gene and the others got leave to find a good time off base. But everyone liked the unassuming chicken farmer from Nebraska and respected his knowledge as the plane's flight engineer.
Berline Cipresso: During training, Berline, age 27, returned home to Michigan to marry his sweetheart. Gene never saluted his co-pilot or called him "Sir." Everyone just called him Benny, and he was fine with that.
Donald Curtis: Like Swedo, Curtis was also known by his last name. Gene believed this Sunday school teacher from Michigan was destined to be a man of the cloth after the war.
Jesse Orrison: Like Benny and Curtis, Jesse also came from Michigan. He also married during the war, and at 27, everyone looked up to Jesse as the big brother. Gene revered Jesse, and the two remained friends long after the war. To this day, Jesse's son, Wayne, still calls Gene "Uncle Mo'."
Linwood Langley: At just 21, Lieutenant Langley came to the crew late as a replacement after the original pilot broke his leg in a softball game. This Massachusetts airman was known as "Woody," but Gene didn't dare call him that to his face. Langley insisted on being called "lieutenant" or "sir." This did not go over well with the crew, especially the sergeant gunners.
Eugene Moran: Gene was one of three 19-year-olds on the crew, along with Swedo and Andy. Everyone called him "Mo'."
Samuel Amatulli: Nicknamed "Sparky," Gene believed this Bronx city kid was crazy, in a fun way. But Sparky knew his radio equipment and was an excellent back up gunner.
Edmund Swedo: Simply called "Swedo," this quiet Catholic boy from Chicago had a beautiful singing voice. He sang "Paper Doll" during the final moments before Rikki Tikki Tavi went down.
Wilbert Provost: The shortest member of the crew, this Texas native was Gene's best friend. Late in his life, Gene remembered well the final words of "Pee Wee" before he died.
Anderson King: Andy always brought a smile to Gene's face when he remembered how many times the crew had to fetch the hard-partying Oklahoman from lock up by the military police.
Walter Reed: Known as the "Quiet One," Walt liked to stay in his quarters when Gene and the others got leave to find a good time off base. But everyone liked the unassuming chicken farmer from Nebraska and respected his knowledge as the plane's flight engineer.
Berline Cipresso: During training, Berline, age 27, returned home to Michigan to marry his sweetheart. Gene never saluted his co-pilot or called him "Sir." Everyone just called him Benny, and he was fine with that.
Donald Curtis: Like Swedo, Curtis was also known by his last name. Gene believed this Sunday school teacher from Michigan was destined to be a man of the cloth after the war.
Jesse Orrison: Like Benny and Curtis, Jesse also came from Michigan. He also married during the war, and at 27, everyone looked up to Jesse as the big brother. Gene revered Jesse, and the two remained friends long after the war. To this day, Jesse's son, Wayne, still calls Gene "Uncle Mo'."
Linwood Langley: At just 21, Lieutenant Langley came to the crew late as a replacement after the original pilot broke his leg in a softball game. This Massachusetts airman was known as "Woody," but Gene didn't dare call him that to his face. Langley insisted on being called "lieutenant" or "sir." This did not go over well with the crew, especially the sergeant gunners.
B-17 Flying Fortress Rikki Tikki Tavi
When Gene and his crewmates arrived in England in late October 1943, he was assigned to the 339th Squadron, 96th Bomb Group based at Snetterton Heath Air Base. The 96th put Gene in a bomber that had already flown more than a dozen missions. Gene's crew would add another five before the German Luftwaffe shot her down on November 29 in a raid over the heavily defended industrial city of Bremen, Germany.
HAROLD "SHORTY" CYR
Like Gene, Shorty was also a downed tail gunner from Wisconsin. The two first met amongst a batch of prisoners waiting for the train that would take them to Stalag Luft VI, a prison camp in Eastern Europe. Shorty took one look at Gene's shaved head-the result of rudimentary surgery on his skull fracture-and called him "Baldy." The name stuck. So did their friendship. The two would be inseparable for the rest of the war.
BILL DORGAN
Gene met Bill before the war in 1941 when they both worked as farmhands in Southwestern Wisconsin. Bill became a waist gunner on the B-24 Liberator "Pink Lady," which was shot down in March 1944. When Bill walked through the front gate of Stalag Luft VI, Gene was shocked to see someone from home. Surprise turned to worry when Gene noticed his weak and starving friend limping on a poorly-repaired broken leg. Gene and Shorty vowed to take care of their fellow Wisconsinite.
MARGARET "PEG" FINLEY
Gene and Peg met on a blind date just before Gene left to begin his military training. It was their only time together before Gene left for war, but she left quite an impression on him. They were married in February of 1946 and raised five daughters and four sons. Peg bore the brunt of Gene's early struggles with post-war stress and flashbacks.