Growing up, I knew little about my dad's (Arnold A. Piskin) years in the Army Air Corps during WWII. Dad rarely shared his stories with my three brothers and me and we rarely asked. He was a pilot of a B-24J Liberator named Howling Banshee. He was stationed at Horsham St. Faith, England, where he flew 36 missions over France and Germany in late 1944. At the age of 20 he was the youngest of his crew, learning to fly before he could drive.

On the 50th Anniversary of VE Day, dad attended the 2nd Air Division Reunion in Norwich, England, and returned home eager to tell his experiences anew. Recently I was fortunate to meet his engineer Don Shannon and his co-pilot Joe Zanella. I not only listened to their stories but was inspired to preserve them here.

These men flew combat missions in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) as part of the 8th Air Force, 2nd Air Division, 96th Bomb Wing, 458th Bomb Group, and 753rd Squadron. In addition, they flew one of the 10 original AZON aircraft straight from the United States.

I have gained a new and deep respect for my dad and the men who served with him. They are indeed heroes and this site is in honor of them.

-- Brenda Piskin