The Fly Over in Riverside That Took a Tragic Turn
During World War II, two 2nd Lieutenants disobeyed orders and flew 180 miles off course to meet their untimely deaths in Riverside at the corner of Post and King Street. The pilots had attempted to buzz the childhood home of one of the pilots.
Attend the History Chat
Local history enthusiast and former educator Bob Scallan joins us from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 5, at the Willow Branch Library to recount the catastrophic sequence of events that ended these two pilots' lives in Riverside. Throughout the program, he will share photos, news articles and more from his extensive research. An audience Q&A will follow the 40-minute presentation.
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About Our Guest Speaker
Bob Scallan is a former teacher, counselor, grants manager and assistant principal. He is a history enthusiast and serves on the boards of the Orange Park Historical Society and the Clay County Historical Society. He loves putting the pieces together to reveal hidden history, compiling the story, and sharing it with the community. He lives in Orange Park with his wife.
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- The Tuskegee Airman: Black Heroes of World War II by Jacqueline L. Harris
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- Coffin Corner Boys by Carole Engle Avriett
- Plane Crashes: The 10 Deadliest Air Disasters and the Lessons We Learned to Improve Aviation Safety by Oliver Elliott
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- Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (Historical Fiction)
Researching Local History?
The Special Collections department at the Main Library has reference material related to Florida History, African American History, Genealogy, and more. Most of this you can't check out and take home. But we do have book scanners if you find something you need to save and refer to later.
Appointments are not required to visit Special Collection but you can call ahead at (904) 255-BOOK to schedule one if have specific research requirements or will require extra assistance. Our librarians can pull materials on a topic so they'll be waiting for you when you arrive! They can also teach you how to use the scanners, microfilm readers and other equipment.
Preparing for the History Fair? Click here for even more resources.
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