Si Spiegel, Jewish war hero who modernized Christmas trees, dies at 99
Before he became known as the father of artificial Christmas trees, Si Spiegel was a valiant Army aviator. In the closing days of World War II, he was piloting his B-17 Flying Fortress in an armada of 1,500 Allied bombers that pummeled Berlin. Struck by anti-aircraft flak, two of the plane’s four engines lost power as Spiegel reversed course to return to England.
Source: bostonglobe.com