We stopped in Redding, California to eat at Burger King for lunch today, and a very interesting thing happened.  Dad was sitting down to eat when an older gentleman come up and asked him if he was from Memphis (Dad was wearing his Memphis t-shirt).  I over heard the conversation and to the elderly gentleman that I was from the Memphis area.  When I asked him how he was connected to Memphis, he paused and began to tell the most amazing story.  The gentleman’s name was Robert Kelley.  Mr. Kelly asked me if the Memphis Bell (B-17 Bomber) was still on Mud Island.  He then said that he flew in the same bomber group as the Memphis Bell (91st Bomber Group).  On the 5th of September, 1944 his Bomber Group was flying over France when the plane he was flying was shot down by 5 M-109s, his tail was shot off and he had to bail.  He jumped from the tail of the plane and tried to deploy his parachute but nothing happened.  He then opened his parachute and was able to remove the pilotchute and throw it as hard as he could.  His shoot opened just in time for him to watch his plane spiral to earth while on fire.  He landed in Metz, France which was, at that time, German occupied.  Mr. Kelley’s mother immigrated from France so he was able to speak French fluently, and he  was able to hook up with the French underground within 15 minutes of hitting the ground.  He then made it to Paris, where he “celebrated” before turning himself in.  What a great story, what a great man.  Dad said the entire trip was worth it just to meet Mr. Kelley.