Palm Park, Topeka, Kansas
By Tony Maurin
After reading As Good As It
Gets by Sam Pizzo, I decided to locate Palm Park mentioned
in his book, because my wife and I were going to visit her family in Topeka,
Kansas, my wife’s home town.
When I was in the 343rd
Strat Recon Squadron in 1957 as a “crow” at Forbes AFB, I knew both Sam
Pizzo and Bill Palm. The shocking news of Bill Palm’s crew being shot down over
the Barent’s Sea was hard for me to take in 1960, even though I was back in
civilian life.
After asking a family where Palm Park
was, I was directed to the intersection of 37th
Street and Burlingame Road, accessible from US Route 75. The memorial to Major
Willard Palm is about three blocks east on 37th
Street. Turn right at the memorial to see the ballpark, a half block south. Over
hearing these directions some of the nieces and nephews confirmed they played
softball at Major Palm Park.
It was Memorial Day when these pictures
were made and they show the regard the people of Topeka, Kansas have for the
sacrifices Major Palm and his crew made for our freedom.
For more detail on the
sacrifices Willard Palm and other USAF personnel made in the Cold War, read
U.S. News and World Report, March 15,
1993, “America’s Top Secret Spy War”. You’ll find on page 30 a picture of
Willard Palm and his entire crew.