The Greatest Generation

[jhwk0309]

Today was a regular day out in town running a couple of errands in the morning when I bumped into a gentleman in an electronics store. He was moving slowly with a cane and wearing a flight jacket, but nothing eccentric. Quietly the very elderly man shopped the display of new tablets until he ended up next to me. Curiously, I leaned over and asked him if and when he might have served. In a soft and yet proud voice he answered, "W" "W" "Two", "B-24's"! He briefly shared how he had many great memories, but not all pleasant from those years of service(I knew he was not referring to queep and reflective belts).

Trying not to dwell on difficult times, I shifted the conversation to what he did after his time in the service. He told how he was hired by Continental and flew over 30+ yrs. He remembered starting in the DC-3 and ended years later in the DC-10. Told of his ocean crossings to Asia and other experiences.

When I left the store today, I realized I had and experience that many take for granted. It once again made me grateful for the sacrifices of the many from that generation and to meet someone who was part of the early days of aviation.

jhwk0309

 

[airbrush]

Amen to that.

I've had similar experiences on a number of occasions. A relative at the family gatherings who had flown B-24s over Ploesti, and been shot down and injured and protected by the underground to get him back to his unit; the group of guys who rented rooms in the same house at Oshkosh for several years in the '90s, one flew B-24s in Italy, another flew carrier-based dive bombers in the Pacific, a third flew C-47s over the Hump; the former Flying Tigers pilot I made the aquaintence of in his last few years; even a group of Finnish Air Force WW II aces I met doing a project at an air museum in Helsinki. And the occasional random encounter as described above, prompted by the sight of a weathered ball cap on an elderly man in the grocery store.

In all cases they were humble men....if they spoke of their experiences, they usually found a way to focus on humorous or self-deprecating aspects that kept the mood light and didn't make themselves out as heroes. When they did speak of their experience of combat, of killing other men, it never carried a sense of glamour or glory; occasionally there was a sense of pride in duty and skill in defending one's country, and usually a mention of friends lost but not forgotten all these years later. What a contrast from the arrogant, trash-talking athletes, actors, and other media types we see so much today, who brag of their exploits on some playing field as they rake in millions of dollars. They play games; these men made history, risking and often sacrificing their lives and asking nothing in return. In just a few years there won't be anyone left who can tell us how it sounded, how it felt, how it smelled to be there.

My father was in the Navy during the Korean War, and served on the aircraft carrier USS Midway. He had wanted to be a pilot but didn't have the education, so he became an airframe mechanic. I was raised watching "The Bridges at Toko-Ri" and all of the similar movies of the time, listening to his stories and sifting through his photos hundreds of times. My dream of flying in the Navy didn't happen either; but in 2011 I took my 81-year-old Dad to San Diego, and together we walked the flight deck of his old ship. There were many other veterans there, walking around with their own memories. It was a privilege to be in their company.

 

[Whine Lover]

A Little "Lost" This Evening...Facing the Facts of Age and getting Older.

This Post was uplifting.

Merry Christmas All.



YKW

 

[lowtimedriver]

Amen to that.

I've had similar experiences on a number of occasions. A relative at the family gatherings who had flown B-24s over Ploesti,

I have read a number of books regarding the first strike on Ploesti. They need to make a movie about the first raid. It would be phenomenal.

The pilots and crews that flew the heavies over Europe in WWII had big stones, no doubt about it. They were sitting ducks up there.

 

[old*art]

My father enlisted at the beginning of the war, trained as a bombardier, was held back as an instructor. By the end of the war 90% of his class was dead. Statistically you had no chance of surviving 25 bombing missions over Europe until the P-51s came along.

 

[AirCobra]

I have read a number of books regarding the first strike on Ploesti. They need to make a movie about the first raid. It would be phenomenal.

The pilots and crews that flew the heavies over Europe in WWII had big stones, no doubt about it. They were sitting ducks up there.

I wonder if there are any books out there about the German bomber pilot experience (not like the Stuka, more along the lines of the He-111 or Do-17) Seems like an interesting topic if guys flew against Poland, then the Battle of Britain, and finally the Soviets. I know they took heavy losses and most of the German bombers had pretty weak defensive armament.

 

[airbrush]

I've been a pretty avid collector of aviation books over the last 20-25 years (not as intense as some, but I still have a decent collection). I actually don't think I've ever come across a first-hand account of the German bomber pilot experience in that era. Lots of stuff from fighter pilots, and of course Rudel's Stuka pilot memoir; but nothing from the He-111/Do-17 guys. Lots of books on the subject, with maybe a few comments thrown in....maybe not enough of them survived who wanted to write about it.

On that subject, I recently saw a 2013 movie called "Into the White", about a He-111 crew shot down in Norway in 1940, who in the process of trying to survive the winter come across a British two-man fighter crew who was shot down in the same engagement. They learn to work together and become friends before the war interrupts. It wasn't bad, but I thought it was fictional until the end, when they said what happened to the crews involved....it is at least based on a true event.

 

[pilotyip]

Amen to that.

My father was in the Navy during the Korean War, and served on the aircraft carrier USS Midway. He had wanted to be a pilot but didn't have the education, so he became an airframe mechanic. I was raised watching "The Bridges at Toko-Ri" and all of the similar movies of the time, listening to his stories and sifting through his photos hundreds of times. My dream of flying in the Navy didn't happen either; but in 2011 I took my 81-year-old Dad to San Diego, and together we walked the flight deck of his old ship. There were many other veterans there, walking around with their own memories. It was a privilege to be in their company.

As written by James Michener in the Bridges at Toko-RI

Rear Adm. George Tarrant (Fredric March): Where do we get such men? They leave this ship and they do their job. Then they must find this speck lost somewhere pn the sea. When the find it they have to land on it?s pitching deck. Where do we get such men?


William Holden?s contained a number of classic films, but THE BRIDGES AT TOKO-RI is often overlooked. This grim film, set during the Korean War, starred Holden, March, Grace Kelly and Mickey Rooney.
William Holden is naval pilot Lt Harry Brubaker. Brubaker is in the reserves and struggles with being called into active duty.
The movie?s ending is not a happy one, but Holden insisted they keep dour ending that was from the book. Had it been changed, Holden would have quit the film.

Flying the B-17, I am really fortunate to run across these men, and to have these vets on an airplane I am flying, is truly humbling. Quick story, we give his guy a ride four years ago, said he was a former WWII B-17 pilot. You can tell instantly by the way they grab the throttles, with the hand up side down. He gets in left seat, he has a nice grim on his face and he is handling the airplane well. I am taking my eyes off him looking for traffic. Suddenly, he taps me and says "Take it Take it", his face is covered in tears. I take it and he gets out of the seat. After we land I ask him what happened, he says, he looked at me and saw his top turrets gunner?s blood all over the bulkhead behind me. The gunner had been killed on a mission over Germany in 1945 and he had not thought about it for over 60 years, the images inside the airplane were overwhelming in bring those memories back. He had not thought about it since he left the service in 1945.

 

[lowtimedriver]

As written by James Michener in the Bridges at Toko-RI

Rear Adm. George Tarrant (Fredric March): Where do we get such men? They leave this ship and they do their job. Then they must find this speck lost somewhere pn the sea. When the find it they have to land on it?s pitching deck. Where do we get such men?


William Holden?s contained a number of classic films, but THE BRIDGES AT TOKO-RI is often overlooked. This grim film, set during the Korean War, starred Holden, March, Grace Kelly and Mickey Rooney.
William Holden is naval pilot Lt Harry Brubaker. Brubaker is in the reserves and struggles with being called into active duty.
The movie?s ending is not a happy one, but Holden insisted they keep dour ending that was from the book. Had it been changed, Holden would have quit the film.

Flying the B-17, I am really fortunate to run across these men, and to have these vets on an airplane I am flying, is truly humbling. Quick story, we give his guy a ride four years ago, said he was a former WWII B-17 pilot. You can tell instantly by the way they grab the throttles, with the hand up side down. He gets in left seat, he has a nice grim on his face and he is handling the airplane well. I am taking my eyes off him looking for traffic. Suddenly, he taps me and says "Take it Take it", his face is covered in tears. I take it and he gets out of the seat. After we land I ask him what happened, he says, he looked at me and saw his top turrets gunner?s blood all over the bulkhead behind me. The gunner had been killed on a mission over Germany in 1945 and he had not thought about it for over 60 years, the images inside the airplane were overwhelming in bring those memories back. He had not thought about it since he left the service in 1945.

Awesome story Yip and thanks.

 

[AirCobra]

I've been a pretty avid collector of aviation books over the last 20-25 years (not as intense as some, but I still have a decent collection). I actually don't think I've ever come across a first-hand account of the German bomber pilot experience in that era. Lots of stuff from fighter pilots, and of course Rudel's Stuka pilot memoir; but nothing from the He-111/Do-17 guys. Lots of books on the subject, with maybe a few comments thrown in....maybe not enough of them survived who wanted to write about it.

On that subject, I recently saw a 2013 movie called "Into the White", about a He-111 crew shot down in Norway in 1940, who in the process of trying to survive the winter come across a British two-man fighter crew who was shot down in the same engagement. They learn to work together and become friends before the war interrupts. It wasn't bad, but I thought it was fictional until the end, when they said what happened to the crews involved....it is at least based on a true event.

Oh yeah I did see that movie last year maybe. It wasn't bad.

I wonder how German pilots felt about bombing Rotterdam or the rude awakening that must have occurred when being virtually unopposed turned into fighting for your life. Rudel''s book, if I remember correctly, seemed to imply you got bombers if you weren't good enough for fighters. I am not sure that can be true. I think with US crews bombers were pretty coveted assignments, since they were supposedly our first line of defense against invasion, and had better performance than most fighters in the 1930's and early 40's.