May 24, 1943

[Toad]

On May 24, 1943 I graduated from pilot training at Brooks Field, San Antonio, Texas.  Received a commission in the U.S. Army Air Force and got my pilot's wings.

Today marks 58 years since my father "pinned them on". He's still slipping the surly bonds, too.

Some of you may recall he answered a few B-25 questions on this BBS as "Panther".

Just a little note to him here in this public forum to let him know how proud I am of him and his entire generation.

 

[SeaWulfe]

How many missions did he fly?

That's really cool your pops was a WWII pilot, and you have a living frame of reference for your hobby. (prolly why you got interested in it too)

My dad was born at the end of WWII, but he went to 'nam as a medic.

Listening to your old man tell you stories of the war (after you pry them out of him.. they don't seem to like to tell the stories much) is really cool.
-SW

[Ripsnort]

Toad, let your dad know that there are those of us out here that will NEVER let history be untold of the heroics that he and his generation fought for.  The next generation is listening too (Geeman, a 5 yr. old WW2 nut!)

[SeaWulfe]

I've been interested in WWII aircraft and the war since I was about 6 or 7 when I was given a model of a G4M1 (?) Betty... 13 years later everytime I get around a WWII airplane I get giddy like a 12 yr old school girl. I work right across from the National Air & Space Museum and sometimes walk over there when I am bored at work...

Never gets dull.
-SW

[Yoj]

< S > Toad.  Best wishes and a salute to your dad, too.  I missed his posts - was he a B-25 pilot?  I ask because my dad was also - flew the B-25H model with the 75mm, and got his wings about a year after yours.

Heros all - even if they deny it.

- Yoj

[Ripsnort]

Heh, SW, I take my boys to the Boeing Flight Museum about once a month,(the 5 yr.old has an obsession for the Corsair displayed, wonder why?) we never get bored, can't wait for the Champlain collection to arrive.

[Dowding]

Toad - has your dad read Catch-22?

[DRILL]

 toad i remember the post on your fathers questions ..i <S> him and all like him
  My own father served  ww2.....p51s....korea...f86.. ..nam..f4

          BIG.....<S> TO ALL WHO SERVED

------------------
DRILL

[Eagler]

<S> to you Toad for the public show of respect you have given your father

<S> to your father for the sacrifices he has given for his country

Eagler

[Toad]

To all:

I E-Mailed this thread address to my Father. He took a look around post #6. He says "Thank you all".

SW, somewhere in the high 30's. All with the 345th Air Apaches, 501st Black Panthers (thus "Panther").

Yoj, yes, as above. B-25C, although he flew a B-25H from South Carolina to New Guinea when he went over in the first group of replacement pilots to the 345th. His close friend, Charlie Knight, was the other pilot on that trip. That H model and Charlie went to the 500th Squadron the "Rough Riders". I don't know what happened to the aircraft but Charlie later lost his life on a mission.

(and Dad, his name will be carried down through the years along with yours in the family history. We will NOT forget.)

I believe (IIRC) of the 7-8 pilots that went over in my father's replacement group only 2 returned.

Dowding, I don't believe so. It took me 3 starts over two years to read that book before I got far enough along in it to enjoy it. I don't think my father would have tried beyond the first chapter.   Just a guess. Heller doesn't reflect my father's view of the WW2 experience. I found Heller funny but I still share my father's view.

As Memorial Day approaches many of us will be at airshows. When you see that old guy staring at an old airplane with a certain wistful look on his face... go up and talk to him. I guarantee you will get back far more than you give in just a few moments of your time.

"Thank you all."

[Dowding]

Toad - I don't think Heller's book is meant to be an historical account of his experiences in a B-25 squadron. He just uses it as a back-drop to write a story about the lunacy involved in fighting a war. But I guess you know that already. I was hooked after the first paragraph and read it within 2 days - I don't know why. Perhaps it was all that exam revision I had to do.  

Having said that, I'm sure some of things he wrote about did happen - perhaps not in the exact same way, and not all in the same place or even the same combat theater - and it would be interesting to see how someone who might have been one of Yossarian's comrades might have viewed it.  

I think it goes without saying the efforts of all the combatants are appreciated. Most vetarans rarely want to discuss their memories, perhaps in case they are seen to be bragging about their exploits - which would degrade the sacrifices of their friends that didn't make it through.

My grandfather was a merchant seaman on the Russian convoys - as a kid I used to ask him about it, like kids do. He never went into much detail. And looking back on it and knowing what I know about how treacherous it was - I can understand why.

Ironically, about the same time, my best friend happened to have a German grandfather. He used to sail mini-subs attacking the exact same convoys my grad-father sailed on. Strange how things work out, I guess.  

[buhdman]

Toad,

This is a great tribute to your father and I salute you both.

My father was a weather man in the Army Air Corps ("We are the men, the weather men/We may be wrong, oh now and then/But when you see our planes on hi-igh/Just remember we're the ones who let them fly!" -- verse from their squadron theme song).  Because of our relationship, he died before I came to my senses realized just how proud I am of even his contribution to the effort to keep freedom alive.  I hope he "reads" this tribute to your father and what I write here and knows, finally, how I feel.

Thanks!

Walt (Buhdman) Barrow

[funked]

Hey Toad give Panther a "hiya" and a <S> for me.  

Dowding do you remember where and how Yossarian preferred to ride in the B-25 once he was done with his bomb-aiming duty?  Exactly where I would be baby!  

[ET]

Your a good man Toad and so is your Dad <S>My best wishes.

[mrfish]

congrats! we'd all be lucky to have his fortune!