Jacob DeShazer: The Good Shepherd Extraordinaire

Anna, over at Anna's Clue Tank, has a great Easter holiday weekend story about Jacob DeShazer, an extraordinary American who passed away recently.

We'll get you started on it and see if you don't agree.

From Anna's Clue Tank:

For Christians this is Good Friday. For our Jewish brothers Purim. For the Hindus in the audience, Small Holi. In Iran they will be celebrating their New Year while others in Islam will celebrate the birth of the Prophet. And the Buddhists will be celebrating Magha Puja. All these events coinciding in this year at this time, I would classify it as a miracle.

On March 15th the Almighty called back one of His shepherds to receive his Heavenly rewards. On this miraculous Good Friday it is an opportune time to talk of this extraordinary man. Jacob DeShazer was born in 1912 and he might have remained unknown except in 1939 he joined the United States Army Air Corps. By 1941 he was assigned to the 17th Bombardment Group flying the brand new B-25 Mitchell medium bomber. It was here that DeShazer's life took a turn that would shape the rest of his life.

DeShazer became one of the Doolittle Raiders. Men who were going to fly 16 B-25s off the US Navy's newest carrier USS Hornet and strike at the Japanese mainland. This mission was one for the history books. And it almost ended before a single plane left Hornet's deck when Japanese trawlers spotted the fast take force. They were 800 miles away and chances of anyone making China were slim.

Still Lt. Col. Doolittle and Adm. Halsey made the bold decision to launch the B-25s. DeShazer was the bombardier for Plane #16, the last to take off.

Read the rest of the story about the extraordinary Jacob DeShazer at "The Good Shepherd".

Let Anna (and us) know what you think.

by Mondoreb
idea: RidesAPaleHorse
Sources:
* The Good Shepherd
* [image] Jacob DeShazer, I was a prisoner of Japan


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