My dad, an aviator for over 50 years, will be co-piloting an original World War II bomber across the Atlantic to take part in the 80th anniversary of D-Day, a seminal moment in the liberation of Europe from the Nazis. The plane he is co-piloting, The Spirit of Douglas, is part of the D-Day Squadron.
My grandfather, my dad's father, landed on the beaches of Normandy as a soldier, and my great uncle died in flight training to fly in the war. The fact that my dad can fly this plane and take part in these events is of great personal meaning to our family.
My husband, two sons, and I will be joining my dad to participate in the Duxford D-Day 80 Airshow in England and the D-Day 80th Anniversary commemorative events Normandy, France. While closing the store for this time was a hard decision, I felt we could not miss this once-in-a-lifetime trip. The fact that my dad can fly this plane and take part in these events is of great personal meaning to our family, and in this time of global unrest, our family's study of WWII in the lead up to this trip has been an incredible opportunity to put the current global conflicts in a historical context and connect to our ancestors.
