Reliving history in flight, WWII vet flies in same bomber
by ELIZABETH TAUFA Reporter

Larry Panepento, left, and Lt. Col. Terry McGuire are pictured inside the B-17 plane prior to taking off at Prior Aviation on Wehrle Drive. Panepento, a World War II veteran, was a bombardier on the B-17 at age 21 and had not flown in one since. Panepento's ride was paid for by a coffee club he belongs to. Photo by Joe Eberle Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

At age 18, Larry Panepento left the Leroy, N.Y., farm where he was the 12th of 16 children and joined the U.S. Army.

Panepento was a member of the the 933rd Airborne Division of the Army Air Corps and a bombardier on a Boeing B-17.

"I can't even remember how many missions I flew on," Panepento, a Snyder resident, said. He was stationed in England and flew the majority of his missions over Germany.

He recalled one particular mission in which he was forced to parachute from the plane because it had been hit by gunfire. He found himself in a German field.

Luckily, the pilot of the aircraft was able to right the plane and pick up Panepento before he was caught by enemy forces.

Panepento told this story to an eight-member coffee club he belongs to that meets at the Tim Hortons in the Tony Walk Plaza on Main Street.

"I've been in the club with him 30 years," said fellow member Dan Irwin. "This story just came out a year ago. He's very humble."

Panepento's story affected another member of the club, Terry McGuire, a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves.

McGuire read about a Boeing B-17 that would be making a visit to Prior Aviation on Wehrle Drive. He and the rest of the coffee club chipped in to pay $430 for Panepento to ride on the plane - an experience he has not had since the end of the war.

"These vintage planes will come back from time to time to tour and fly people around, but guys like Larry made them work for democracy," McGuire said. "Larry at age 81 and other brave aviators are national treasures and we can't honor them enough for what they did to secure our freedom."

"He couldn't believe it," Irwin said of Panepento when the club told him the news. "It's very exciting for him and for us."

Irwin continued by saying that the ride was purchased not just for their friend but also to show respect for veterans of all wars.

"No matter what side you're on - democrat or republican - you need to back the troops," Irwin said. "We understood a little of that when the plane took off, but we don't understand it like Larry does."

The ride took place Sunday morning, but Panepento did not take the trip alone, as previously arranged. The flight organizers allowed McGuire to accompany Panepento on the flight.

McGuire is an Iraq War veteran who recently returned from 13 months in Iraq while his wife, Noreen held down the homefront with their two young daughters. He called being aboard the aircraft with Panepento a "thrill."

"I feel like I'm 18 again," Panepento said with a smile. "They did a real nice job, and we had good pilots."

All 12,000 of the Boeing B-17s were built in 1945. By the end of the war, 4,000 had been destroyed, according to Irwin. Panepento held his position as a bombardier while he was 21, which made him older than most of the pilots.

"There was a 33 percent chance that he would have been killed, maimed or captured," McGuire added.

While several members of the club came out to cheer Panepento as he exited the plane, the club itself serves as a way for its members to connect with neighbors.

Other members of the club include independent contractor Larry Bull, M&T Bank Senior Vice President Al Luhr, retired Amherst school teacher Al Craik and Sanarak salesman Ken Swedene. Irwin is a CEO Emeritus with CJ Irwin. McGuire is also employed by M&T and Panepento is a retired hardware store owner.

"We solve all the world's problems before 8:30 a.m.," McGuire said.

"We all have different connections and can help each other out with different things," Irwin added. "It's just a handshake between friends who care about each other."

e-mail: etaufa@beenews.com