It was one of those dramatic events in time of war. Civilians, threatened by an invasion by a remorseless and intractable enemy, desperately calling for military bombers to attack that enemy as it surged towards the defenseless town. In a raging storm a brave crew volunteers for the dangerous mission, with the fate of the city in their hands. Such brave acts were often required during the violence of the Second World War. Just not usually in Montana.
October 5 represents the anniversary of what is generally considered to have been an aviation first, the first time that the crew of one airplane shot down another airplane- the first aerial victory in history.