Letters: A brave princess stood between my father and Nazis who would have killed him

Letters to the Editor
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Saved by a princess

Re "DNA analysis helps identify remains of WWII veteran," Aug. 13: My family read with interest the news brief describing the identification of the remains of Lt. Alfred Pezzella in Romania.

Lt. Pezzella took part in the historic low-level bombing mission over the Ploesti oil refineries on August 1, 1943.

As described in the article, he was killed-in-action due to anti-aircraft fire that caused his B-24 Liberator to crash. Our father also took part in that mission.

His B-24 (Chattanooga Choo Choo) was also shot down over Romania.

Our father’s bomber crash-landed on the estate of Princess Catherine (Ecaterina) Caradja of Romania.

This brave Princess saved the lives of my father — Clell B. Riffle of Point Pleasant, West Virginia — and the crew of Chattanooga Choo Choo. She literally stood between them and the German soldiers who would surely have killed them.

Princess Caradja was able to make sure that my father and his crew were placed in a Romanian POW camp instead of the horrible alternative.

Letters to the Editor
Letters to the Editor

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Dad was a POW for over one year. There he and the crew received basic medical care and food.

We will always be grateful to the princess for her heroic actions and to Romania for insisting that the Americans remain in Romania and not be taken to Germany.

We convey our sincere condolences to the family of Lt. Pezzella on this the 80th anniversary of Operation Tidal Wave.

Kathryn Conklin, Westerville

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose spoke during a Republican rally in Zanesville.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose spoke during a Republican rally in Zanesville.

Let's hope

Re "Could Issue 1's loss hurt LaRose" on Aug 15: I only have three words: I hope so.

Cindy Kiener, Columbus

A legacy of deceit

With Issue 1 in the rear view, what more can be written or said?

Something still bothers me. Either Secretary of State Frank LaRose and the backroom manipulators are comfortable cheating to win, or they think Ohioans are too stupid to notice.

Both are terrible ways to govern.

And considering how much money, time, and effort it takes to become an elected official in our modern society, what a ridiculous waste. You were given the power and the platform to be a legitimate and impactful public servant, yet your legacy is not service. Your legacy is deceit.

Tony Auseon, Columbus

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Letters: A princess saved my father from Nazis. Let's hope Issue 1 hurts LaRose