The style for the story is different than anything I've ever read. It's about two people, a Frenchman named Robert Mourand and a US serviceman/waist gunner on a B-26 named James Weldon Melody. They have a chance encounter when Sgt. Mellody's plane is shot down over France when he is taken prisoner and marched through the town square of Elisabethville.
A picture was taken to record the event. In the picture is both the airman and the Frenchman who is saluting the downed American.
The reason this is different than most stories is...the beginning is all about Robert Mourand. It's about his job in Paris and then France's declaration of war against Germany. It is very Robert intensive with no mention of Weldon until near the halfway part. Then the writing covers both men equally about the time they meet. From that point on the story is Weldon intensive, talking about his time in Stalag 3 POW camp, the death march, and lastly liberation.
What makes this story so cool is that both families came together in 2011 when descendant of Robert found the photograph and through the process of elimination and much research, discovered the the captured American was. he contacted the family and they have become lifelong friends.
I've never seen a story like this and hopefully it will be told by me skillfully, honestly, and respectfully.
I hope you will all be interested in reading it when its complete and check back here for updates as the writing progresses.
Again, sincere thanks to both families for giving me this opportunity to honor heroes from both sides of the pond.
Chris A. Hale
