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Remembering the "Forgotten 15th": Families and friends honor World War II 15th Air Force veterans at reunion

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TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Veterans, family members and friends of the 15th Air Force gathered in Tucson for a reunion over the weekend, honoring the so-called “Forgotten 15th” who played a decisive role in defeating Nazi Germany during World War II.

The U.S. Army Air Forces had several bomb groups that played crucial roles in strategic bombing campaigns including the 449th Bomb Group which has strong ties to Tucson.

The 449th was activated at what was then Davis-Monthan Field in May 1943. Forty years later, in November 1983, more than 200 veterans of the 449th returned to Tucson for their first reunion.

Now, they're back in Tucson, with just one veteran from the 449th joining for the event.

"At this reunion here in Tucson, we have one attendee and about 10 from the 449th that were not able to attend," said reunion attendee Rodney Miller.

Lynn Moran, whose father was a ball turret gunner on a B-24 of the 449th Bomb Group, keeps in touch with those ten members.

"I usually send them Halloween cards, birthday cards — all the holidays. I'll send them a card just letting them know that they're part of the group still," Moran said. "We want them to know we remember them and we're trying to preserve their legacy."

Her grandson Ricky Gardner is joining her in preserving their legacy.

"I do enjoy history and I like not just reading books, but hearing stories," Gardner said. "And, what better story to learn about and listen to than that of the people who fought alongside your great grandfather."

The reunion featured families sharing stories and artifacts collected from the 15th Air Force.

Garrett Bragg has been working over the past year-and-a-half to collect items that are specific to the 455th Bomb Group.

He pointed to a bomber jacket worn by Richard Hamilton who joined the 455th during World War II.

"If you look closely into this torn jacket, you'll see that he put the nose art of his aircraft there, which the name of it was "BTO": Big Time Operator," Bragg explained.

Artifacts like these add a personal and tangible way for reunion attendees to get to know and remember soldiers.

"It's kind of a fun little personalization where you got to see these guys take their uniforms and add their own custom touch to it and to me, that's just very personal," Bragg said.

Bragg explained, while the number of veterans attending the reunions has dwindled over the years, it's up to families and friends to continue sharing the history.

"It's not really about coming here as much and having you know these big groups of veterans where we can hear their stories now it's us grand-kids and the and the direct kids that are here coming here to repeat those stories for their veteran," Bragg said.