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Show Capt. Stewart, Noted Flier, Talks in Oak City Lost Contact with Capt. Hugh R. Roper After Raid On Ploesti Oil Fields A rare treat was had last Friday night when the Oak City ward chapel was filled to overflowing to hear Capt. Walter T. Stewart, pilot of the famous bomber ,"Bom-erang" ,"Bom-erang" and buddy of Capt. Hugh Roper tell of his war experiences. He paid tribute to the character of Capt. Roper and to his ability as a pilot and teacher. He told of many of their experiences from the time they met in training until he lost him in a cloud over Yugoslavia Yugosla-via on their return from the Ploesti Plo-esti raid. Capt Stewart told in detail of the Rome raid which Capt Roper was given the honor of leading in the "Exterminator," but as it was out for repairs they flew with a mixed crew in Stewart's "Utah Man." As they neared the target he went below and saw their first bomb demolish the central control house of the railroad yards and the next one explode an ammunition train. In the Ploesti raid. they flew o-ver o-ver beautiful Romania countryside country-side where people waved at them as they were coming from worship in their little white churches. Then on to the oil refineries where they met an inferno of anti-aircraft fire. Although their losses were heavy he says they did great damage and were largely responsible for putting put-ting Italy out of the war and will shorten the conflict and thereby save thousands of lives. For nearly two hours Capt. Stewart Stew-art held the audience tense with his dramatic accounts and then relaxed re-laxed them with his sparkling wit and stories of happinings in combat com-bat that are funny to think back on now it is all over. The audience audi-ence got a big laugh out of how he forgot his court manners when introduced to the English Princess by the Queen and merely said, "Hello, girls." He praised the Red Cross and urged the full support and said that was the next thing- to bringing bring-ing home to the boys. After witnessing wit-nessing the weather in England and the burning, shifting sands and filth of Africa, he feels that America is Heaven. A number of visitors from the nearby towns came to enjoy the meeting. Capt. Stewart and his mother .spent the day visiting with the parents and relatives of Capt. Hugh Roper. |