Bath, Maine - On Saturday, November 16, Patten Free Library (PFL) will host a presentation by Stewart Day, a ninety-year-old decorated World War II veteran. Day will recount stories of his service as a tail gunner on a B-17s, flying bombing missions over Germany and shooting down three German fighters. His own plane was shot down and ditched in the ocean where Stewart assisted fellow crew members before being captured and imprisoned in P.O.W. camp Stalag 17B. His unofficial job there was to make escape maps of the camp. When Allied victory became apparent, he was forced to make a 281-mile march before being freed by the advancing American Army. Stewart was awarded many medals, including the Purple Heart, for his wartime service.
The presentation is free, open to the public, and will begin at 10:30 a.m. in the Library’s second floor Community Room. Some of Mr. Day’s personal artifacts and photographs will be on display, and there will be opportunities for questions during his talk.
Mr. Day’s presentation will be moderated by Brunswick native Chris Gutscher. Last year, Gutscher worked with Mr. Day to record an oral history of his war memories; he submitted it to the Library of Congress’ Veteran’s History Project, where he hopes it will be permanently archived.
For additional information, contact Roberta Jordan, the Outreach and Instruction Librarian at Patten Free Library, at 443-5141, extension 25.
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