# My Dad was with Glenn Miller in his final moments **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [July 9, 2009, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-was-with-glenn-miller-in-his-final-moments/502509 "2009-07-09T23:57:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![erynnsmama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ec9cab/32.png) [@erynnsmama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erynnsmama)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2009, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-was-with-glenn-miller-in-his-final-moments/502509/1 "2009-07-09T23:57:41Z")
I just learned from my 74 year old brother (I’m female 52) that my father, Charles “Red” Lackey was a drummer with Glenn Miller when he was stabbed by a French dancer, after the US saved France from Germany. My dad with with Mr. Miller that fateful night. My dad died in the 60’s so I have no proof, but my brother told me that Mr. Miller and his bandmates (my dad included) were in a club, and a french couple was doing the tango, and the woman kept landing in Glenn Millers lap, and flirting with him, and when Mr. Miller and his bandmates got up to leave, this french dancer followed them out and stabbed Glenn Miller. They told EVERY ONE OF THE AMERICANS IF THEY WANTED TO LIVE, NOT TO SAY A WORD, SO MY DAD NEVER DID, BUT HE DID TELL MY BROTHER, (NOT HIS SON, MY MOMS CHILD FROM A PREVIOUS MARRIAGE, SO MY HALF-BROTHER) and my brother told me, yesterday. I am in shock. ---
**Author:** ![erynnsmama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ec9cab/32.png) [@erynnsmama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erynnsmama)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2009, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-was-with-glenn-miller-in-his-final-moments/502509/2 "2009-07-09T23:58:55Z")
my e-mail is [mcmichael\_realtor@hotmail.com](mailto:mcmichael_realtor@hotmail.com) I may have opened a huge can of worms… ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-was-with-glenn-miller-in-his-final-moments/502509/3 "2009-07-10T00:07:39Z")
The Perfect Master has spoken: > **[Did band leader Glenn Miller die in a French brothel?](https://www.straightdope.com/21343042/did-band-leader-glenn-miller-die-in-a-french-brothel)** > > A STAFF REPORT FROM THE STRAIGHT DOPE SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-was-with-glenn-miller-in-his-final-moments/502509/4 "2009-07-10T00:28:18Z")
I’m sure **John Corrado** is terribly flattered by that, **Ruby**. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-was-with-glenn-miller-in-his-final-moments/502509/5 "2009-07-10T00:34:26Z")
Errr, yeah, uh, like I said, **John Corrado** has spoken… yeah… that’s it… :smack: (sorry **John** ) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-was-with-glenn-miller-in-his-final-moments/502509/6 "2009-07-10T01:29:18Z")
> [@erynnsmama](#): > > I just learned from my 74 year old brother (I’m female 52) > that my father, Charles “Red” Lackey was a drummer with Glenn Miller > when he was stabbed by a French dancer, after the US saved France from Germany. > My dad with with Mr. Miller that fateful night. My dad died in the 60’s so I have no proof, but my brother told me that Mr. Miller and his bandmates (my dad included) were in a club, and a french couple was doing the tango, and the woman kept landing in Glenn Millers lap, and flirting with him, and when Mr. Miller and his bandmates got up to leave, this french dancer followed them out and stabbed Glenn Miller. They told EVERY ONE OF THE AMERICANS IF THEY WANTED TO LIVE, NOT TO SAY A WORD, SO MY DAD NEVER DID, BUT HE DID TELL MY BROTHER, (NOT HIS SON, MY MOMS CHILD FROM A PREVIOUS MARRIAGE, SO MY HALF-BROTHER) and my brother told me, yesterday. > I am in shock. You mean they planned to follow the Americans home during the war and kill them in the United States? The Americans sitting on one of the greatest stories of the decade? Or was it because the Americans were AWOL since Miller’s plane took off from England in 1944 and then disappeared? Or was it really … A [different than the one mentioned in the column] Government Cover-Up? Perhaps your brother read the recently published [The Glenn Miller Conspiracy: The Never-Before-Told Story of His Life – and Death, by Hunton Downs](http://www.amazon.com/Glenn-Miller-Conspiracy-Never-Before-Told-Story/dp/0977913163/), which claims: > [@](#): > > It is Downs’s theory that Miller was captured in France by Nazi spies who both tortured and killed him during an unsuccessful interrogation in which they tried to get him to give them information about the plan. Furthermore, Downs maintains that some American troops saw Miller’s body being dumped outside of a brothel in Paris. Downs maintains that the high command of the American army made up the story of Miller’s disappearance to stop the Nazi claim that they had broken Miller. I’m also curious when your father played with Miller. There’s a “Red Lacky” who played drums for Django Reinhardt during the war, but that’s a different spelling. No Lackey of any spelling turns up in association with Miller’s band that I can find, although the Army band is harder to trace. Do you have more information on him? ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-was-with-glenn-miller-in-his-final-moments/502509/7 "2009-07-10T01:30:37Z")
On top of everything else, there is one simple question which needs to be answered before you can ask us to spend any effort addressing this: Why should we take your word for it? (Or, rather, your word for your brother’s word for your dad’s word for what happened?) ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-was-with-glenn-miller-in-his-final-moments/502509/8 "2009-07-10T01:46:46Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I’m also curious when your father played with Miller. There’s a “Red Lacky” who played drums for Django Reinhardt during the war, but that’s a different spelling. No Lackey of any spelling turns up in association with Miller’s band that I can find, although the Army band is harder to trace. Do you have more information on him? I rather doubt our guest has much info. She’s been looking for info on [Ancestry](http://boards.ancestry.co.uk/surnames.lackey/616/mb.ashx?pnt=1), which is a good way to go. **Terri**. If you come back to read this thread, perhaps if you give a bit more info about why you weren’t there when your dad died, where you were at that point, what your mom’s name is, where your dad was living at that point, any other info about him, there are some pretty internet savvy people on here(I’m one) who would be willing to help you with a real search for info about your dad. Do you know what year your dad died? How do you know? Do you have any real brothers or sisters? Not step-kind. If you don’t want to reply in the thread, my email address is [sclements@neo.rr.com](mailto:sclements@neo.rr.com) ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-was-with-glenn-miller-in-his-final-moments/502509/9 "2009-07-10T01:53:17Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I’m also curious when your father played with Miller. There’s a “Red Lacky” who played drums for Django Reinhardt during the war, but that’s a different spelling. No Lackey of any spelling turns up in association with Miller’s band that I can find, although the Army band is harder to trace. Here is pretty exhaustive list of [musicians that played with Glenn Miller](http://www.bigbandlibrary.com/glennmiller.html)at one time or another, though it may be incomplete: > [@](#): > > **GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRAS NECROLOGY - SELECT LIST:** > > _thank you to Roland Taylor of The Glenn Miller Society for providing additional information_ > > Joseph “Joe” Shulman, 53, alternate bassist ('43-'45), Aug. 2, 1957 > > Paul Dudley, 45, script writer ('43-'45), May 18 1959 > > Ambrose L. “Perry” Burgett, 39?, arranger ('43-'45), Oct. 1959? > > Dave Herman, 55?, violinist ('43-'45), Mar. 15, 1965 > > Stanley Harris, 45, violist ('43-'45), Apr. 1967 > > George Ockner, 63, violinist ('43-'45), May 12, 1970 > > Harold “Hal” Dickinson, 59, Modernaires vocalist ('40-'42), Nov. 1970 > > Donald “Don” Haynes, 74, management ('40-'42; '46-'50) and administration ('43-'45), > Jun. 4, 1971 > > J. Chalmers “Chummy” MacGregor, pianist ('37-'42), 1973 > > Charles “Chuck” Goldstein, 58, Modernaires vocalist ('40-'42), Aug. 1973 > > Robert “Bobby” Nichols, 50, trumpeter ('43-'46; '46-'50; '61), Mar. 1975 > > Generoso Graziano “Jerry Gray,” 61, arranger ('39-'42; '43-'45) and conductor ('44-'45), > Aug. 10, 1976, heart attack > > Francis “Frank” Ippolito, 56, relief drummer ('43-'45), Mar. 18, 1978 > > Raymond “Ray” Eberle, 60, vocalist ('38-'42), Aug. 25, 1979, heart attack > > Paul Dubov, 61, announcer - actor ('43-'45), Sept. 20, 1979 > > Carmen Mastandrea “Carmen Mastren,” 67, guitarist ('43-'45), Mar. 31, 1981 > > Johnny Desemone “Johnny Desmond,” 65, vocalist ('43-'45), Sept. 6, 1985 > > Murray Kane, 70, Crew Chiefs vocalist ('43-'45), Jan. 31, 1986 > > Donald “Don” Briggs, 64?, announcer, Feb. 3, 1986 > > Broderick Crawford, 75, announcer - actor ('43-'45), Apr. 26, 1986 > > Marion Hutton, 67, vocalist ('38-'42), Jan. 10, 1987 > > John “Johnny” Halliburton, 63, trombonist ('43-'45; '46), May 1, 1987 > > Charles “Chuck” Gentry, 75, saxophonist ('43-'44), Sept. 4, 1987 > > Ralph Brewster, 76, Modernaires vocalist ('40-'42), Mar. 29, 1990 > > Ralph Wilkinson, 78, arranger ('43-'45), May 15, 1990 > > Wilbur “Willie” Schwartz, 72, clarinetist - saxophonist ('38-'42), Aug. 3, 1990 > > James “Jimmy” Priddy, 72, trombone ('40-'42; '43-'45; '46-'49), Dec. 27, 1990 > > Albert “Al” Klink, 75, saxophonist ('39-'42), Mar. 7, 1991 > > William “Bill” Conway, 77, Modernaires vocalist ('40-'42), Apr. 4, 1991 > > Alex Mastandrea “Al Mastren,” 74, trombonist ('38-'40), Feb. 2, 1992 > > Paula Kelly (Dickinson), 72, vocalist ('41-'42), Apr. 2, 1992 > > James “Lynn” Allison, 81, Crew Chiefs vocalist ('43-'45), Oct. 31, 1993 > > Maurice “Moe” Purtill, 87, drummer ('39-'42; '46; '50), Mar. 9, 1994, “after a brief ilness” > > Raymond “Ray” McKinley, 84, drummer - vocalist ('43-'45) and conductor ('44-45) and > post-war leader ('56-'66), May 7, 1995 > > James “Jack” Steele, 74, trumpeter ('43-'45; '46-'47), Jun. 24, 1996 > > Joseph Kowalewski, 68, violinist ('43-'45), Aug. 30, 1996 > > Vincent “Vinnie” Carbone, 74, saxophonist ('43-'45; '46-'47), Mar. 31, 1997 > > Roland “Rolly” Bundock, 83, bassist ('39-'40; '46-'47), Apr. 8, 1998 > > Melvin Epstein “Mel Powell,” 75, pianist ('43-'45), Apr. 24, 1998 > > Bernard “Bernie” Privin, 80, trumpeter ('43-'45), Oct. 8, 1999, colon cancer > > Henry “Hank” Freeman, 81, saxophonist - clarinetist ('43-'45), Jan. 8, 2000 > > Gordon Lee “Tex” Beneke, 86, tenor saxophonist ('38-'42) and post-war leader ('46-50), May 30, 2000 > > George T. Simon, 88, drummer ('37; '43) and administration ('43), Feb. 14, 2001 > > John “Jack” Ferrier, 88, saxophonist ('43-'45), Mar. 16, 2001 > > Jerry Jerome, 89, saxophonist ('37-'38), Nov. 17, 2001 > > Meyer “Mike” Rubin, 88, bassist (June 14-23, 1941), Nov. 23, 2001 > > George Voutsas, 91, radio producer ('43-'45), Jan. 2, 2003 > > Frank D’Annolfo, 95, trombonist ('39-'42), May 5, 2003 > > Frederick “Freddy” Guerra, 79, saxophonist ('43-'45; '46-'47), May 17, 2003 > > Michael “Peanuts” Hucko, 85, saxophonist - clarinetist ('43-'45) and post-war leader '74), Jun. 19, 2003 > > Thomas “Tom” Sheils, 87, personal manager - promoter, Jun. 24, 2003, “after a brief illness” > > Vito Pascucci, 80, instrument repairman ('44-'45), Aug. 18, 2003, kidney failure > > John “Johnny” Best, trumpeter ('39-'42), Sep. 19, 2003 > > William “Billy” May, 87, trumpeter - arranger ('40-'42), Jan. 22, 2004 > > Jack Sperling, 81, drummer ('46-'49), Feb. 26, 2004 > > Salvatore “Sal” Libero, 80?, clarinetist - saxophonist ('46-'49), Jul 17, 2004 > > Maurice Bialkin, 91, cellist ('43-'45), Sept. 7, 2004 > > Les Biegel, 95, trumpeter ('37-'38), Oct. 10, 2004, pneumonia > > **STILL LIVING AS OF DEC. 2004 - SELECT LIST:** > > Stanley “Moose” Aaronson, saxophonist ('38-'39; '46-'47), b. ? > > Herman “Trigger” Alpert, bassist ('40-'41; '43-'45), b. Sep. 3, 1916 > > Ray Anthony, trumpeter ('40-'41), b. Jan. 20, 1922 > > William “Bill” Finegan, arranger ('38-'42), b. Apr. 3, 1917 > > Norman “Norm” Leyden, arranger ('44-'45), b. Oct. 17, 1917 > > Arthur “Artie” Malvin, vocalist ('43-'45), b. Jul. 7, 1922 > > Alvin Morris “Tony Martin,” vocalist ('43), b. Dec. 25, 1913 > > Nathan “Nat” Peck, trombone ('44-'45; '46), b. Jan. 13, 1925 > > Robert Ripley, cellist ('43-'45), b. Jun. 28, 1922 > > Kathryn Starks “Kay Starr,” substitute vocalist ('39), b. Jul. 21, 1922 > > Paul Tanner, trombonist ('38-'42; '46-'50), b. Oct. 15, 1917 > > Mannie Thaler, saxophonist ('44-'45), b. Dec. 13, 1917 > > Whitey Thomas, trumpeter ('43-'45; '46-'50), b. Jun. 29, 1920 > > Murray Wald, saxophonist ('43-'45), b. Sep. 16, 1922 > > Rubin “Zeke” Zarchy, trumpeter ('40-'42; '43-'45), b. Jun. 12, 1915 No Red Lackey though. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-was-with-glenn-miller-in-his-final-moments/502509/10 "2009-07-10T03:38:19Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > I rather doubt our guest has much info. She’s been looking for info on [Ancestry](http://boards.ancestry.co.uk/surnames.lackey/616/mb.ashx?pnt=1), which is a good way to go. That post was almost 9 years ago. I hope she’s made some progress since then. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-was-with-glenn-miller-in-his-final-moments/502509/11 "2009-07-10T05:58:10Z")
> [@erynnsmama](#): > > I just learned from my 74 year old brother (I’m female 52) > that my father, Charles “Red” Lackey was a drummer with Glenn Miller > when he was stabbed by a French dancer, after the US saved France from Germany. > My dad with with Mr. Miller that fateful night. My dad died in the 60’s so I have no proof, but my brother told me that Mr. Miller and his bandmates (my dad included) were in a club, and a french couple was doing the tango, and the woman kept landing in Glenn Millers lap, and flirting with him, and when Mr. Miller and his bandmates got up to leave, this french dancer followed them out and stabbed Glenn Miller. They told EVERY ONE OF THE AMERICANS IF THEY WANTED TO LIVE, NOT TO SAY A WORD, SO MY DAD NEVER DID, BUT HE DID TELL MY BROTHER, (NOT HIS SON, MY MOMS CHILD FROM A PREVIOUS MARRIAGE, SO MY HALF-BROTHER) and my brother told me, yesterday. > I am in shock. A large group of Americans kept their lips tightly zipped even after decades and the remove of continental distances about the murder of one of the biggest entertainers of the age because they were being threatened by French whores and pimps? Do you have even the remotest concept of how utterly batsh\*t insane and improbable that premise sounds. Your brother is pulling your leg, or your father pulled his leg. People make up fabulous crap all the live long day. You’re being played. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-was-with-glenn-miller-in-his-final-moments/502509/12 "2009-07-10T13:21:34Z")
I have nothing to offer on this story, but will offer a random musing: I wonder if Charles Red Lackey the musician might be related to California-born Jon Lackey (d. 2007), the designer of the monster from “The Creeping Terror.” If that’s the case, artistic abilities might run in the family! ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-was-with-glenn-miller-in-his-final-moments/502509/13 "2009-07-10T15:41:14Z")
It would be more interesting if your 12-year-old son was with Michael Jackson the night _he_ died. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-was-with-glenn-miller-in-his-final-moments/502509/14 "2009-07-10T16:35:40Z")
Oh my God, Lynn Allison is on that list! I worked with him in 1981 when we clerked in a clothing store. He was about 70 at the time and he’d sell clothes all day and then play in music clubs at night. He always told us that he drove Glenn Miller to the airport on the fateful night. He didn’t have any conspiracy theories about his death, though. ---
**Author:** ![Linty\_Fresh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Linty\_Fresh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linty_Fresh)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-was-with-glenn-miller-in-his-final-moments/502509/15 "2009-07-10T17:38:24Z")
I have a question or two about part of John Corrado’s column: > [@John Corrado](#): > > Just after unloading the bombs, the bombardier called out that there was a plane below them. Shaw looked out the window and saw a Norseman flying south at 1500 feet. Bombs were going off all around it. Just before it disappeared from Shaw’s line of vision, it went into a tailspin. Seconds later the rear gunner called out that “there’s a kite just gone in down under.” Shaw’s aircraft then returned to base. **Since they had never crossed into enemy territory, the crew never reported the plane they had seen go down over the Channel.** I’m not clear about the part I bolded. They didn’t report the plane to _anyone?_ Were they afraid of punishment, or was there another reason? If nothing else, they certainly should have reported it to a civilian agency. Also, was the area of the bomb dump too wide for a salvage or would the dumped ordinance hamper the search for the plane? I’ve always been a bit fascinated by the story since hearing Glenn Miller’s music for the first time, and I’d appreciate any insight. ---
**Author:** ![Ajer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/50afbb/32.png) [@Ajer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ajer)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2010, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-was-with-glenn-miller-in-his-final-moments/502509/16 "2010-08-14T12:01:52Z")
> [@erynnsmama](#): > > I just learned from my 74 year old brother (I’m female 52) > ‘after the US saved France from Germany’. We will conveniently forget about the British, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, South Africans, Indians, Free French, Polish etc. etc. etc. Me thinks you have been watching too many Hollywood movies. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2010, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-was-with-glenn-miller-in-his-final-moments/502509/17 "2010-08-14T12:16:09Z")
Welcome to the Straight Dope Message Boards, **Ajer** , we’re glad to have you with us. I just want to point out that the post you commented on (and the whole prior thread) was from July 2009. We don’t have any problem with you “resurrecting” an old thread, but we just want to alert y’all that many of those posters are no longer around ( **erynnsmama** hasn’t posted since then) – so, you may not get much in the way of responses. ---
**Author:** ![paperbackwriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@paperbackwriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paperbackwriter)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-was-with-glenn-miller-in-his-final-moments/502509/18 "2010-08-15T13:02:59Z")
> [@Linty\_Fresh](#): > > I have a question or two about part of John Corrado’s column: > > > [@John Corrado](#): > > > > **Since they had never crossed into enemy territory, the crew never reported the plane they had seen go down over the Channel.** > > I’m not clear about the part I bolded. They didn’t report the plane to _anyone?_ Were they afraid of punishment, or was there another reason? If nothing else, they certainly should have reported it to a civilian agency. > > Also, was the area of the bomb dump too wide for a salvage or would the dumped ordinance hamper the search for the plane? I’ve always been a bit fascinated by the story since hearing Glenn Miller’s music for the first time, and I’d appreciate any insight. In both the RAF and USAAF, there was a regular post-action debriefing process after completed missions. If an individual plane aborted during the mission, they were also debriefed, but if the entire mission was aborted, then the debriefing would be abbreviated or just skipped altogether. The mission that Shaw described would have been one of the latter cases. As **John Corrado** said, they never engaged the Luftwaffe nor passed over enemy-held territory, and the chain of command already knew the reason for their turning around. Therefore, there was no military intelligence to be gained (it was normally assumed) by engaging in the debriefing process. As for reporting to civilian authorities: why? These were military aviators, during wartime, with no contact with the civilian aviation regulators. In fact, the civilian aviation regulators in England during the war were essentially an afterthought in most areas, since there was no meaningful civilian aviation. The bomb dump areas are just what they sound like - large areas where ordnance was disposed of. Not every bomb dumped there armed and exploded on the way down, so there is a strong possibility of unexploded ordnance. This makes any recovery effort very dangerous. I supposed a high-resolution sonar scan of the area is feasible, but you’d have to find some-one willing to fund that. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-was-with-glenn-miller-in-his-final-moments/502509/19 "2010-08-16T01:43:51Z")
> [@Ajer](#): > > > [@erynnsmama](#): > > > > I just learned from my 74 year old brother (I’m female 52) > > ‘after the US saved France from Germany’. > > We will conveniently forget about the British, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, South Africans, Indians, Free French, Polish etc. etc. etc. > > Me thinks you have been watching too many Hollywood movies. In the interests of complete historical correctness I’ll note that the Australian armed forces did not participate in the European theatre at all, they were a tad busy with the Japanese at the time. There were individual Australians in the British armed forces of course, but the Australian units were all withdrawn from North Africa back to the Pacific. The New Zealand and South African armies, and the Indian units of the British army, fought in the North African and Italian campaigns but not the French one. In France 1944 there were US, British, Canadian, Free French and Free Polish units, plus minor contingents from Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Greece, and the Netherlands. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-was-with-glenn-miller-in-his-final-moments/502509/20 "2010-08-16T03:40:47Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Here is pretty exhaustive list of [musicians that played with Glenn Miller](http://www.bigbandlibrary.com/glennmiller.html)at one time or another, though it may be incomplete: Not sure about the AAF guys, but [Paul Tanner](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Tanner), now 92, is the last survivor of Glenn’s prewar band. Paul also played the theremin on the Beach Boys’ _Good Vibrations_! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-was-with-glenn-miller-in-his-final-moments/502509.md?page=2)