A Son’s Tribute: Reuniting with His Father’s WWII Bomber
Dallas, TX (October 3, 2025) – In May 2025, James Vancura called the CAF Headquarters in Dallas with a simple opening: “I think you have my dad’s plane.” The aircraft in question was a B-24 nicknamed “Home Stretch,” with Charles J. Vancura serving as its copilot. Although the plane itself no longer exists, the panael containing its nose art and Charles’s name is on display at the Henry B. Tippie National Aviation Education Center (NAEC). James arranged to visit on September 25, 2025 — what would have been Charles’s 104th birthday.
Charles Vancura graduated from North Dakota State University with a degree in Chemistry in 1943 and soon enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces. He was assigned to the 7th Bomb Group, flying B-24 Liberators in the China-Burma-India (CBI) Theater. His main aircraft, serial number 44-50857 and nicknamed “Home Stretch,” reflected the crew’s belief that the war was nearing its end.
On March 19, 1945, Charles participated in the longest B-24 formation mission of the war. Departing from their base in eastern India, the crew flew over the water to the Malay Peninsula and the Kra Isthmus, targeting bridges critical for resupplying Japanese forces. While crews on this mission averaged 17.5 hours in the air, Charles’ crew flew for more than 18 hours.
At 1:00 p.m. on September 25, 2025, James Vancura arrived at the NAEC with 15 family members, including his children and grandchildren. After receiving an overview of the Nose Art Collection’s history and its acquisition by the CAF and NAEC, the group was escorted to the exhibit featuring “Home Stretch.”
The visit stirred strong emotions for James, who said he had “wanted to see this for his whole life.” Seeing his father’s name above the artwork and touching the corner of the panel—just below the window where Charles would have sat—made the experience deeply personal. James also presented the NAEC with a print of the aircraft and detailed information about his father’s missions.
As a bonus, the family was able to tour the CAF’s own B-24 Diamond Lil. For each member of the family, this was their first time in a plane similar to one that Charles flew. James could envision his father sitting in the right seat, looking down as they prepared to taxi for a takeoff.
