A newly published book related to World War II borrows heavily from the National Life archives because of the role played by a company employee. Corporate archivist Brian Lindner worked with the author and publisher to provide insights from the company’s files.
By Brian Lindner
During World War II the Germans knew the Allies were on their way to invade Sicily in one more attempt to free Europe from the Nazis. Just before sunrise on July 10, 1943, Lieutenant Kurt Fox and his German bomber crew were flying overhead in their JU-88 bomber. They knew the invasion fleet was coming and, in the early morning darkness, they were on the lookout for white wakes in the sea that would give away the position of Allied ships. Suddenly, they spotted a wake and dropped four bombs on the ship at the head of that wake.
The ship was the American destroyer USS Maddox and on board in the Combat Information Center was A. Robert Crathorne, who had left his office in the National Life Law Department to serve in the Navy. Within 60 seconds the Maddox went to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea. Bob Crathorne was never seen again.
In 1993 the Montpelier Home Office emptied one sunny afternoon to hold a ceremony on the lawn to honor Crathorne, whose name is on the large bronze plaque in the cafeteria, with his widow in attendance. Some of his retired co-workers also returned to honor his memory. Only 68 men survived the sinking and some of those men attended the ceremony as guests of National Life.
After extensive research, three years later, the pilot and radio operator of that German bomber were located and agreed to be interviewed. Kurt Fox, the pilot, later agreed to attend a reunion of the Maddox survivors.
Although the opening minutes of the “reunion” were awkward and tense, within an hour information and old photo albums were being shared. At the end of the two-day event, the former German pilot and the Maddox survivors were embracing as new friends. All hard feelings had vaporized as the former enemies shared stories, food and beverage.
Aviation historian Bruce Frazer learned of Kurt Fox, the pilot who later became a physician in the U.S., and interviewed him extensively. Frazer then asked to use documents, photographs and other materials from the National Life Archives for use in his new book, which he coauthored with Carol Glasgow. The book is filled with photos from Dr. Fox’s personal photo album, which he had allowed National Life to duplicate.
The new book is entitled Extreme Forgiveness, and tells the story of Dr. Kurt Fox and his time in the German Air Force during World War II. It then carries the story far forward into the relationship that Fox formed with the Maddox survivors. Despite his crew having sent 210 of their shipmates to an early grave, the survivors came to see Fox as an honorable man serving in his county’s military – just as they were doing when the bombs hit.
Frazer and Glasgow’s new book heavily features Ensign Crathorne and the part National Life has played in the entire story of the USS Maddox. Extreme Forgiveness tells the story of how these men went from trying to kill each other to becoming close friends 50 years after the Maddox and Ensign Crathorne went down.
Order forms are available in Communications. The book is $19.95.