On April 15, Collinsville High School social studies students were honored with an opportunity to meet Tony Foulds and hear his personal story of lifelong gratitude for a United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) air crew that spared his life during World War II.

Foulds, 90, was visiting St. Louis this week from England. The journey involved his first airplane flight and his first time in the U.S.  

His trip is the culmination of 82 years of gratitude and paying respect to 10 USAAF airmen who lost their lives when their B-17 Flying Fortress, named “Mi Amigo,” crashed in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, in 1944. 

Tony was eight years old when he met up with five other boys in Endcliffe Park on Feb. 22, 1944.  They heard an airplane approaching overhead.  The American aircraft, returning from a raid on Denmark, had sustained heavy damage and was looking for a place to make an emergency landing.   

From the air, the open ground of the park appeared to be a good spot to land the plane.  However, the pilot saw children playing in the park and reportedly steered the failing aircraft into trees to avoid hitting them. 

As the plane descended, young Tony was able to clearly see the pilot, who waved at him. Moments later the plane crashed, killing all 10 crew members on board. That instant, when he witnessed heroes give everything for strangers, has stayed with Tony every day of his life. 

For the past 82 years, Tony has thought about the young men in the B-17 bomber who made the ultimate sacrifice so he and others in the park could live. He remains awestruck by their selflessness and honor, which he attributes to American values.  

In 1969, a memorial was erected in the park to honor the fallen U.S. airmen. Tony made it his personal and private mission to care for the memorial almost daily and talk to people who visit so others will know the brave actions of the pilot and crew that day. 

His efforts were largely unnoticed for many years until a reporter met him in the park and told his story.  Since then, his effort to keep their memory alive has garnered much attention.

Rebecca Dunn of St. Louis, whose family came from England, was on a visit to the United Kingdom when she met Tony and invited him to come to the United States to visit St. Louis, the hometown and burial place of the 23-year-old Mi Amigo pilot, First Lieutenant John G. Kriegshauser. 

Dunn’s successful GoFundMe page, supported equally by English and American donors, covered costs for Foulds and a travel companion.  Additional funds raised will support care of the memorial in Sheffield.  

While in St. Louis, Tony had the opportunity to visit Lt. Krigshauser’s grave and meet his family.  He also shared his story at the WWII Memorial in St. Louis and toured Scott Air Force Base.  

Collinsville High School social studies teacher Barbara Lindauer knew about Mr. Foulds from a feature on National Public Radio.  When she learned he was coming to the area, she had an opportunity to invite him to speak to CHS students.  

Foulds spoke to the high school students about gratitude and his fondness for America, then took questions about his childhood and life experiences.  Following his presentation, the students had an opportunity to take photos with him and talk one-on-one.  

When leaving the school, Tony paused to visit the Veterans’ memorial that sits in front of CHS.  The inscription reads, “Freedom is Never Free.  Home of the Free Because of the Brave. Honor and Remember Those Who Answered the Call of Freedom.”

Mr. Foulds read the words, put his hand on the monument, leaned forward, kissed the top, then quietly said, “True. Yes, true.”