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SHEFFIELD, England (AP) — Tony Foulds has a routine when he visits the memorial for 10 American airmen killed in World War II.
First, he kisses his finger and lays it on the metal plate bearing their names. Then he sits beside the rock, laying a shaky hand on its smooth slope with the care of someone offering comfort to a loved one. As he taps the stone, Foulds tells the airmen about the weather and his plans for the day.
It's the least he can do, because Foulds believes the young Americans sacrificed their lives to save his. The pilot decided not to land his crippled plane on Endcliffe Park, in the English city of Sheffield, to avoid a group of children on the grass.
"I pray for them every morning," the 82-year-old retired engineer said. "I would've been dead if they didn't do what they did."
Tony has long dreamed of a more public recognition of the sacrifice made by the crew of the B-17G Flying Fortress nicknamed "Mi Amigo." He wanted an aerial display — a flypast— befitting men who fought in the sky.
On Friday, he will get his wish. The U.S. and the Royal Air Force are set to honor Lt. John G. Kriegshauser and his crew.
But even that won't ease Foulds' guilt...
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