04/05/2025
Local Volunteers Join Nationwide Homecoming Effort for
British Servicemen Buried in U.S. During WWII
Bringing the Boys Back Home Is Part of International Commemorations for the
80th Anniversary of the Allied Victory in Second World War
Tulsa, April 4, 2025 – To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, the members and volunteers of the Spirit of Tulsa Squadron and the A-26 Lady Liberty Squadron from the Commemorative Air Force (CAF), a national nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring veterans of World War II, are helping to reunite 20 British servicemen of the Royal Air Force who perished in flying training accidents in Miami and Ponca City. Fifteen airmen are buried in the Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery in Miami, Oklahoma, one member buried at the Tulsa Memorial Park Cemetery, and seven members buried in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Cemetery in Ponca City with their families and countrymen in the U.K.
The Ponca City and Miami graves are among those of 423 British servicemen who were killed while training in the U.S. and buried on American soil during the War.
The effort is part of the nationwide Bringing the Boys Back Home initiative organized by the CAF. “We have hundreds of volunteers across 28 states – from Maine to Hawaii – visiting all 423 gravesites by mid-April,” said CAF member and project coordinator David Barrera.
The Tulsa Air and Space Museum at the Tulsa International Airport is assisting as well.
Once on site, volunteers care for the graves and respectfully create nondestructive gravestone rubbings for a U.K. homecoming event celebrating Victory in Europe Day on May 8. Special transportation is being provided aboard the CAF’s 1944 Douglas R4D aircraft, named Ready 4 Duty, which is traveling from Texas to Europe as part of this year’s historic Navy to Victory Tour.
“What a wonderful gesture by our American allies,” said 104-year-old Colin Bell, a Royal Air Force bomber pilot, Distinguished Flying Cross recipient, and British flight instructor based in the U.S. during the early years of the War. “Bringing the Boys Back Home properly recognizes the sacrifices made by these brave individuals, some of whom I served with, 80 years after they paid the ultimate price to protect our liberties and freedoms.”
Anyone in Oklahoma willing to assist, the A-26 Lady Liberty Squadron will be heading out to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Cemetery in Ponca City on Tuesday, April 8th.
If you’re in the Tulsa area, the Spirit of Tulsa Squadron will be heading to the Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery on Monday, April 7th.
About Commemorative Air Force (CAF)
Founded in 1957, the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and showcasing the history of military aviation. With an airworthy fleet of over 180 vintage military aircraft—the world’s largest flying collection of World War II-era aircraft—the CAF brings history to life through flight and living history experiences. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, the CAF operates numerous locations nationwide, all united by a shared mission: to Educate, Inspire, and Honor. Each year, through the efforts of thousands of volunteers, the CAF’s educational programs engage an estimated 20 million Americans, offering hands-on access to history that is both unique and impactful. Learn more at www.commemorativeairforce.org.
About Ready 4 Duty
Built in 1944, Ready 4 Duty is a Douglas R4D-6S, the U.S. Navy’s version of the legendary DC-3 and C-47. The last of its kind still flying, the aircraft is a centerpiece of the Dallas/Fort Worth Wing of the Commemorative Air Force, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and celebrating the history of World War II aviation. Learn more at www.dfwwing.com.
