Mar-Jo Restaurant
September 16, 1998, article three

The Focus regrets passing along news of the death of Joel Apel on June 21, 1998. Mr. Apel and his wife, Marceil, operated the Mar-Jo Restaurant in the early 1950s.

Many people around town will probably remember the Mar-Jo at 119 W. Center Street.

Mr. Apel was born October 16, 1918, in Clarence, Michigan. His family moved to Bowling Green where he graduated from high school. He also graduated from Florida Southern University. He married Marceil Hade of Fostoria on October 21, 1939. She survives and lives in Sherman, Texas, the couple's home since his retirement from the U.S. Air Force.

Prior to opening the Mar-Jo, Mr. Apel and Donald Karr ran the A&K Drive-In at 335 Columbus Ave. Joel and Marceil lived at 727 Sandusky Street.

The Mar-Jo advertised itself in the City Directory as "Fostoria's Finest Restaurant," but the Apels didn't own the eatery for very long. By 1955 it was owned by Richard and Margaret Keyes. The Apels opened it in 1950 and by 1959 it was no longer listed in the City Directory.

Large events intervened in Joel's career plans.

On Dec. 8, 1941, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in the wake of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor the day before and became a bombardier. He also served with the 307th Bomb Group in the Korean War flying photo reconnaissance missions in a B-29. After the Korean War, he flew dangerous low level supply missions to the French garrison at Dien Bien Phu in the early days of the Vietnam War.

Joel's military exploits were the subject of an article, "A Winding Path: The Three Wars of Lt. Col. Joel Apel, Bombardier," which appeared in Friends Journal published by the U.S. Air Force Museum Foundation from which most of the information in this article is drawn.

On April 9, 1944, Joel and his crewmates took off on their 12th mission in a B-17, named the Miss Yu II, on a bombing raid on the Germans' Folke Wolf aircraft factory in Gydnia, Poland. The Miss Yu II was part of a formation of 24 Flying Fortresses.

Though the Americans encountered mild resistance from some inexperienced German fighter pilots, they successfully completed their raid. But when they turned back for the safety of their base in Glatton, England, they came under attack by a squadron of Messerschmitts. This was a combat seasoned group resolutely intent on knocking the B-17s out of the sky.

The Germans succeeded in shooting down three of the American bombers. The Miss Yu II and two other Fortresses became separated from the main group and were engaged in a battle for their lives. His bombardier duties complete, Joel took up his position as chin turret gunner. He had named his turret station for his wife and painted "Marcie" over his gun. He began to return the enemy's fire.

The tail gunner passed out from smoke inhalation when his ammunition cans were hit by German fire. Joel took over the tail guns. He nailed a Messerschmitt in his crosshairs and soon there was one less Nazi fighter to contend with.

But Miss Yu II was taking heavy damage. The fuselage was perforated with bullet holes from the Germans' machine guns. Several of the crew were wounded and their blood spattered the plane. To make matters worse, the Miss Yu II was limping home at only 90 knots. Two of her four engines had been knocked out.

Finally, there was an explosion in the cockpit. The co-pilot's leg had been shattered and the pilot was temporarily blinded. Joel had had basic flight training and he was summoned forward to fly the plane. He arrived to find most of the instruments damaged. Joel flew the crippled warbird from the co-pilot's seat with help from the navigator.

Their luck began to turn at last. American fighter escorts appeared and drove off the Germans and the pilot regained some of his sight and resumed his position. Without fear of further German attack, the crew threw out everything that wasn't bolted down - guns, ammo, radio, flak vests.

Two hundred miles from home an RAF Spitfire came to lead them to an abandoned fighter strip. The hydraulic system was destroyed. They would land without brakes or flaps.

The landing gear deployed and the Miss Yu II touched down.

She thundered past the end of the runway, through some barbed wire, over an invasion trench and settled in a garden.

The crew was back in action almost immediately. They flew mission number 26 over Montefluery in support of the Allied landings on the Normandy beaches on D-Day, June 6, 1944.

Lt. Col. Apel retired from the Air Force July 31, 1971, having earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal among other decorations.

He served the citizens of Sherman as a member of city council and as mayor.

The Focus extends its sympathy to Mrs. Apel and the rest of the family. We would also like to thank Mrs. Apel's sister, Cora Beers, for bringing Joel Apel's story to our attention. It is a privilege to share it with our readers.