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November 11, 2005
Fred Atkinson was a prisoner of war for 27 months in Italy and Germany after his aircraft was shot down. His Purple Heart, POW dog tags and aviator wings are displayed in his house. Memories are still fresh for local World War II vetHe was a POW in Europe for 27 monthsLELAND - Fred Atkinson will spend Veterans Day remembering the four comrades who didn't accompany him home."I relive it very often," the 85-year-old World War II veteran from Leland said of the day his B-25 bomber was shot down over the Mediterranean Sea. Atkinson and his co-pilot survived the crash, but four other crew members perished. He spent the next 27 months as a prisoner of war in Italy and Germany. Atkinson said today's conflict in Iraq is a very different war from his, but Veterans Day remains a common time for remembrance. He will join other local veterans today to speak about his war memories at a 9:30 a.m. program at Leland's Old Art Building and participate in the 11 a.m. ceremony on the steps of the Leelanau County courthouse. The retired educator, who was an Air Force pilot from 1941 to 1945, said he's fortunate to live in a community where many fellow retirees lived through the World War II era. He's had few opportunities to speak with soldiers returning from the Middle East, but said people seem to be growing more eager to hear veterans' stories. "I've found that the young people especially are more and more interested," he said, recalling his thoughts about Veterans Day before and after he enlisted. "I remember Armistice Day as a child, and my father had been in the National Guard. The thing we celebrated the most when we got back was V-E Day and V-J Day when the war was over." Atkinson completed his college education after returning from the war, receiving a degree in education and going on to serve as superintendent of several school districts before he and his wife retired to Leland in 1984. He shares his memories with a hope that people will pause today and ensure fellow veterans' sacrifices aren't forgotten. "So many of us are gone now," he said. See Related Stories:
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