The Visitor

The airman arrived in Jean Stober’s seventh-grade class in June 1962, at the end of school. Sister Rosa Mystica had promised the students they’d be treated to a visit by a special person. Missionary, Jean had assumed, but the visitor was Eli LaDuke, a serviceman from the Strategic Air Command Base in Plattsburgh.

He was tall and thin with red hair that looked electrified, and when Sister said he was “truly blessed,” he blushed and stood at attention as Sister told students that they would hear a remarkable story.