Glenn Miller

[Michael Pugliese]

<URL: http://www.bigbands.net/millercrash.htm >
  A German newspaper says wartime bandleader Glenn Miller died of a heart 
attack in the arms of a French prostitute in 1944 and not, as officially 
reported, in a plane crash. The mass-circulation Bild newspaper alleged 
that the famed trombonist and exponent of the big band swing sound met his 
death in a Paris brothel. The paper said German journalist Udo Ulfkoutte 
discovered the secret of how he died in U.S. secret service files while 
doing research for his book, "BND, The Secret Files."  The paper quoted the 
journalist as saying the true cause of Miller's death was concealed to keep 
his legend alive and protect the morale of U.S. troops. U.S. military and 
intelligence officials were not immediately available to comment on the 
cover-up allegation. 
ON MARCH 24th, 2001, GERMAN JOURNALIST UDO ULFKOTTE, DIRECT FROM FRANFURT 
GERMANY, APPEARED ON THE SHOW AND STRONGLY DENIES EVER SEEING ANY SECRET 
SERVICE DOCUMENTS AND SAYS THIS WHOLE THING WAS NEVER ANYTHING MORE THAN A 
RUMOR! 

   
Official reports said his plane vanished over the English Channel in 
December 1944. But Bild said British diver Clive Ward discovered the wreck 
of his single-motor plane off the French coast in 1985 and found no signs 
the plane had crashed, or any human remains. 
 
 
SO FAR, ALL OF THIS CLIVE WARD HYPE HAS NEVER BEEN SUSTANTIATED AND MR. 
WARD CANNOT BE FOUND! 
 
MORE PROBABLE LIES. 
 
 
A retired colonel who says he was Glenn Miller's pilot disputes the claim. 
Lt. Col. Robert Baker told the Fort Worth Star-Telegramthat he and Miller 
were drinking together in England the night before. "I just know the 
brothel story is a lie because there was no way Miller could have gotten to 
Paris by December 15 except on my flight," Baker insisted.
Just two weeks before his death, Miller and his orchestra recorded 20 new 
tunes in London that were only unearthed in 1995. On the recordings, Miller 
can be overheard in an unguarded moment flirting with a German girl.
 THESE RECORDINGS ARE NOTHING MORE THAN MILLER EXCHANGING PLEASANTRIES AND 
ONCE AGAIN THE ALLEGATIONS ARE FOUNDLESS.
In the year before his death, the 40-year-old Miller had a serious illness. 
And although Baker claims he drank with him, others say Miller was once 
kicked out of a bar for being a teetotaler.
Supposedly, Miller, another passenger and a pilot took off informally on an 
uncharted flight without clearance, on a foggy day when all other aircraft 
were grounded. 
"Why Glenn, who had a real fear of planes, decided to risk a trip under 
such adverse conditions has never been determined," wrote his friend George 
Simon, author of the book The Big Band Eraand The Glenn Miller Story.
-- 
Michael Pugliese

I got an axe-handle pistol
with a graveyard frame.
It shoots tombstone bullets
wearing balls and chains.
I'm drinking TNT.
I'm smokin' dynamite.
I hope some screwball
start's a fight,
'cause I'm ready,
ready,
ready

Muddy Waters, "I'm Ready."