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Article updated: 8/2/2011 11:53 AM

Suburban vets discover they flew on same WWII B-17

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Douglas "Mike" Hitzeroth was drafted at age 18 in 1944 and flew as part of a replacement crew aboard B-17 bombers while stationed in Italy in World War II.

Courtesy of Douglas "Mike" Hitzeroth

Today, Douglas "Mike" Hitzeroth of Geneva, who flew missions in the B-17 The Biggast Bird, is friends with fellow Air Force veteran Kenneth Chapek, who flew on the plane's first mission.

Courtesy of Joan Broz

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Kenneth Chapek of Aurora flew his World War II missions aboard The Biggast Bird, which he inadvertently named while talking with crew mates about the B-17's large tail.

Courtesy of Kenneth Chapek

Kenneth Chapek of Aurora, above with a B-17, met fellow Biggast Bird veteran Douglas "Mike" Hitzeroth at a squad reunion, where they discovered they'd shared a plane though they served at different times.

Courtesy of Kenneth Chapek

About this Article

West suburban vets Kenneth Chapek and Douglas “Mike” Hitzeroth each flew a B-17 named The Biggast Bird in World War II, but they didn't meet until 1986. Now friends, together they share details of The Biggast Bird and what it was like to fly during WWII.
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    • Douglas “Mike” Hitzeroth was drafted at age 18 in 1944 and flew as part of a replacement crew aboard B-17 bombers while stationed in Italy in World War II.
    • Today, Douglas “Mike” Hitzeroth of Geneva, who flew missions in the B-17 The Biggast Bird, is friends with fellow Air Force veteran Kenneth Chapek, who flew on the plane’s first mission.
    • Kenneth Chapek of Aurora flew his World War II missions aboard The Biggast Bird, which he inadvertently named while talking with crew mates about the B-17’s large tail.
    • Kenneth Chapek of Aurora, above with a B-17, met fellow Biggast Bird veteran Douglas “Mike” Hitzeroth at a squad reunion, where they discovered they’d shared a plane though they served at different times.
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