by Kathy (Mayer) Rennie
former St. Joseph resident
(Author’s note: In August of 2011, there were two articles printed in the St. Joseph Newsleader about my father Walter Mayer who is still considered missing from WWII. Now I have written an update on what has happened to my relationship with the pilot of that plane my father was in.)
The date was Feb. 14, 1945 near the end of WW II. That was the day my father, Walter Mayer, had to bail out of a war plane into the North Sea, never to be seen again. A consolation was he most likely received the Sacraments before going on this war mission and he was not taken as a POW.
He was in the Army Air Force and in an 8-17 bomber plane as a radio operator. The pilot ordered the men to bail out as the plane’s engine was on fire.
I was born five months later. My mother was informed in a message from the government but learned almost nothing about the incident. She had always hoped to contact the pilot but never knew how to do it. About 13 years ago, someone told me to contact a center in Arizona where they have the names of soldiers who were in that plane. I was given the name and number of the only one still living – 87-year-old George Hitchcock. I called him and to my surprise found myself talking to the pilot, something I never dreamed would ever happen. He invited us to his home near Chicago. He explained what happened to my father and said the worst thing he ever had to do was to give the order for the men to bail out. After four men bailed, George managed to get the fire out and fly back to England.
In 2023, we revisited him. Our relationship deepened. He was the last person to see my father, and he is a deeply compassionate man. He described my father as a gentle, honorable patriot. George is like that, too. He turned 100 years old on Feb. 9.
George cherishes the friendships he has made and sharing joy about life with others. He has always said and did loving things to and for others. I feel thankful God brought George into my life and we can share a friendship and joy with each other.
