Originally posted by Skuzzy
You have not had the pleasure of taking to these vets Mav and here them damn near in tears about the memories brought back from flying thier rides in AH.
I have been fortunate to get to speak to a P38 and Corsair pilot who both called to just thank us and then got to listen to thier stories when they flew. I know those days are numbered so I hang on every word these guys have to say.
It is an amazing experience.
I've had the incredible good fortune to get acquainted with about a dozen P-38 pilots, with help from Widewing, Warren Bodie, and some searching on the web. Skuzzy is right, there is NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING, in this world that compares to conversing with these guys. I am hesitant to bring any of them to the game because of some of the things that go on online, if I could be sure they'd blow it off, I'd bring them in without thinking twice.
I got lucky and ran into a couple in person at Middlesboro KY two years ago when I was talking to Steve Hinton and Bob Cardin while we were looking at "Glacier Girl" and "Porky II".
I was talking to Capt. Stan Richardson Jr. a while back, and he told me he'd been down to Tillamook, to "hug" the P-38 there "Tangerine". He truly loves the planes with all his heart and soul. He's had a heart attack and the attending surgery, and is no longer able to fly. But he has some friends that sneak him in to fly an F-15 simulator every once in a while.
It really hit home how these guys feel about these birds a few years ago at an air show in Smyrna Tennessee. I was taking pictures of my kids in and around a B-17, (Col. Robert Morgan was there) and I noticed four men there who were obviously veteran of World War II. They were struggling terribly trying to get some pictures, the crowd was walking all over them, and I could see they were very discouraged.
I went over and asked them if they needed help getting some pictures, and one replied "I was their pilot for 40 missions, these are the last of my crew left, and I sure would like to get pictures of them with this plane". I immediately set about clearing the crowd back, and I got a SSgt. in the reserves to come over and give me a hand. The pilot got his men next to the plane and took several pictures, and then one of them took his picture. I asked the pilot "Wouldn't you like to have a few pictures of all of you together with the plane?" He said, "Oh, I wouldn't want to bother you with that". Of course I told him it would be an honor and a pleasure, and I insisted. I took about ten pictures or so and gave him back the camera. The SSgt. saluted them and told them how happy he was to help and went off to resume his duties.
The pilot thanked me, and proceeded to tell me a half dozen mission stories, and then said, "And one of these just like this one brought me and all my boys home everytime, I never lost a plane, or one of my boys". His eyes welled up with tears and he said "I wish they could all be here together just this once more". He thanked me again and walked off.
My kids came out of the plane, and I was tearing up, so I sent them with my wife and went around to the other side of the plane and cried. Then I went up to the front of the plane where they were charging $1 to get in and walk around, and i went over to the lady taking the money. she said "you've already paid, you can go through again for free". I gave her a $50 bill and told her about the pilot and his crew, and the $50 was all I had to give her to contribute to keeping the plane flying to the shows.
Man, I love those guys, you can't get to know even one of them without being touched deeply. Their love for their country, their family, their squad and squadmates, and their planes, is something I don't think we'll ever see on that scale again. Several of my P-38 pilot friends have made their final approach and folded their wings in the past few years. Any time I either don't get email or don't get replies from them, I really worry and get grouchy, because I know that soon, they'll all be gone, just like I lost my Dad (WW II amd Korea) in January.
