Nearly 75 years after the San Antonio Rose was lost in the Pacific during World War II, Senator Richard Blumenthal is calling on the Pentagon to search again for the wreckage of the B-17 as a way to honor the memory of its crew.
Blumenthal co-sponsored a resolution last week with Senator John Boozman, a Republican from Arkansas, asking for the military to try again to find the wreckage of the aircraft that was last sighted under heavy attack from Japanese fighters near what is now Papua New Guinea on January 5, 1943.
All 11 crew members were declared killed in action including Brigadier General Kenneth N. Walker, a Medal of Honor recipient and highest ranking officer missing in action during World War II. His son, Doug Walker lives in New Canaan and has been leading national efforts to encourage the search for the plane’s remains, according to Blumenthal.
“As the nation pauses Saturday to recognize the service and sacrifice of those who have lost their lives defending our country, the crew of the San Antonio Rose must never be forgotten. We must honor their memory through continuing this search to fulfill our nation’s promise to finally bring these heroes home,” the Senator said on Friday.
“It’s been 75 years and these men, the plane and my father are still out there and we need to get a search started. One way or another that has got to occur in the near term. This resolution is a vitally important step in making that happen,” Walker said in a statement.
Read the resolution at bit.ly/sres325-115th-congress
Read more about Walker at www.kennethnwalker.org/.
Senator Chris Murphy is among 10 co-sponsors of the resolution.
