Harry grew up in a small logging town in Oregon where food was scarce and rationed. When he turned 18 in the early 1940s, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and headed off to navigation school before being stationed overseas.

During World War II, Inge was a small child living with her family in Berlin. She also recalls the feeling of going to bed hungry, never having enough food to eat. In this video, Inge tells her story of the frightening middle-of-the-night air raids where her family would gather in the concrete basement for safety as bombs fell around them, demolishing the city.

When the 351st Bomber Group was assigned to Berlin, Harry was told their targets were railways. However, one fateful mission was rerouted mid-air in Berlin and Harry has lived with dread ever since not knowing if his bombs destroyed lives.

In 2016, Harry by chance met Inge at Eskaton Village Grass Valley. Inge said, "I've never met anyone who bombed Berlin, life is full of surprises." 

The feeling of forgiveness that Inge provided 93-year-old Harry has lifted a life-long burden off his shoulders. He is now able to share his war stories with his wife after many decades of keeping it buried inside. 

 Anything is possible here at Eskaton.