Long Beach, California: A B-17 bomber that lay in a New Guinea swamp for decades after being forced down during a Second World War combat mission has been returned to the United States after years of salvage efforts.
The forward fuselage of the so-called "Swamp Ghost" was displayed on Friday at the port of Long Beach in an emotional, patriotic ceremony attended by kin of some of the now-deceased aircrew.
"I know this a happy day for Dick," said Linda Oliver, the 89-year-old widow of bombardier Richard Oliver, the last living crewman who died in August. She regretted he did not see the warbird's return.
"He longed for this to happen, but this wasn't to be," said Oliver, of Tiburon, California. The frail widow watched a flag presentation by an Air Force honour guard and a flyover by vintage Second World War fighters.
