On this special Memorial Day episode of The Story Ark, Captain Kenny Mears invites listeners on a poignant voyage into family history and wartime sacrifice. Guest storyteller Wayne Kartchner shares the remarkable and heartbreaking story of his Uncle Yelmer, a young Navy tail gunner during World War II.

At just 17, Yelmer and his brother Irvin joined the Navy following the attack on Pearl Harbor. While Irvin served as a cook on a battleship, Yelmer was assigned to patrol the West Coast in a PV-1 bomber. During a top-secret training mission in December 1943, Yelmer’s plane crashed in the remote forests of Vancouver Island. Stranded in the Canadian winter, Yelmer and his surviving crewmates fought for survival. Wayne recounts how Yelmer’s courage and compassion shone through as he cared for his fellow airmen, ultimately watching each succumb to the elements before he set out alone in a final act of hope and duty.

Though the wreckage was eventually found, Yelmer’s fate remains a mystery—his body was never recovered. Wayne’s moving tribute honors not only his uncle’s sacrifice but also the enduring bonds of family and memory.

Join us as we reflect on the true meaning of Memorial Day through a story of heroism, loss, and the search for closure. Listen, remember, and honor with The Story Ark.

For more information on Wayne, be sure to check out his profile with The Utah Storytelling Guild: https://www.utahstorytellingguild.website/project/wayne-kartchner-2/

Subscribe to The Story Ark for more unforgettable tales, and follow us on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for updates and bonus content.

The Story Ark is a production of Food For Thought Audio. For more information, be sure to check out our website: https://foodforthoughtaudio.com/