This is a series about Mr. William Bonelli who is a WWII Veteran serving with the 773rd Bomb Squadron of the 463rd Bomb Group. Mr. Bonelli is a B17 mechanic, technician and a pilot. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and is also a survivor of Pearl Harbor attack. In the background of these images is the B17 the Memphis Belle.
I have been going to the World War II Days event held every year over the D-Day weekend (June 6) in Reading Pennsylvania for about 18 years. My interest in the World War II era, the waning numbers of the veterans still alive and in decent health, as well my need to do some personal projects that will be meaningful, historic and on several levels were the main motivating factors for this project.
The goal of this assignment is to capture archival images of history, humanity and sacrifice while portraying these WWII Veterans as larger than life.