Tuesday, June 29, 2010

A.B. Davis High School (Mt. Vernon, NY) Honored with B-17 and B-29 Bombers

Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" Bomber

As a result of the research done on my recent June 13th blog on legendary World War II pilot Robert "Rosie" Rosenthal, I have uncovered a unique underpublicized connection of our alma mater, A.B. Davis to the B-17 "Flying Fortress. It seems that Mt. Vernon library has some information and possibly a photo of a Boeing B-17E with following inscription painted on its rear fuselage: "Purchased by students of A.B. Davis."

The library purportedly has another photo of a B-29 "Super Fortress" and crew dedicated to our alma mater due to the High School's outstanding success in raising money for war bond sales. (See Richard Garfunkel's blog and Paul Court's response at http://tinyurl.com/22l6kbe)

More on this subject after I contact the staff at the Mt. Vernon library.

1 comment:

RJ Garfunkel said...

I went to the funeral of Robert Rosenthal a few years ago. I had interviewed him on the phone for a few minutes. I had sent him a cachet postal cover of his plane commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 8th Air Force's bombing of Schweinfurt's ball-bearing complex. He graciously signed the cover. Later, after he died, I had learned that he was a long-time member of Armonk Tennis, in Armonk, NY, where I currently play. I started there about 5 years ago and after his time. But, many of the old-timers knew him quite well. I later got to meet his wife and their children. By the way I went to and graduated from AB Davis HS, Mount Vernon, NY, Class of 1963. (But that year was renamed Mount Vernon HS.)

Richard J. Garfunkel
Host of The Advocates
1460 am radio
www.wvox.com