CNN reporter Chloe Melas is determined to preserve the memory of her grandfather’s WWII heroism. Her “grandpa” Frank DeSales Murphy survived months in a German POW camp after being shot out of his B-17 Flying Fortress in Germany. He was part of the 8th Air Force’s 100th Bomb Group—nicknamed “The Bloody Hundredth” – which inspired the famous Steve McQueen film “The Great Escape.”
In 2020 Chloe wrote about his incredible war time experience in a moving article for CNN.com. And now, the story of the “Bloody Hundredth” is featured in an episode of the Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks Apple TV series “Masters of the Air”.
Chloe’s article particularly focuses on her grandfather’s experience and his recognition as a war hero after armistice. She also movingly describes her pilgrimage to the UK airbase where he flew from. In preserving the story of her grandfather, she both honors his memory and creates a lasting legacy for her own children. Her article’s opening sentence sums it up: “My entire life has been shaped by my late grandfather and his stories of heroism during World War II.” Here is a link to the full article.
Who is preserving these important stories for your family?
