by Michael Dobson (Editor), Odell F. Dobson (Author)
On his 13th mission, B-24 waist gunner Odell Dobson was shot down, badly wounded, and captured. After recovering in a German military hospital, he was sent to Stalag Luft IV and later made part of the infamous "Shoe Leather Express" forced march. His remarkable story was incorporated into the book FOUR MEN WENT TO WAR (Bruce Lewis, St. Martin's/Leo Cooper), and was fictionalized as the character "Digger" O'Dell in the novels FOX ON THE RHINE and FOX ON THE FRONT by Douglas Niles and Michael Dobson. This publication, prepared for his funeral in 2010, takes the original oral history transcribed from Dictaphone tapes, and presents the story for the first time in his own words. (Originally published as RANDOM JOTTINGS 5.)