I look at that photo and think about a young man, 23 years old, from Newtown, Pennsylvania, newly married and half way around the world at an incredibly primitive base flying those low-level missions.
He was just a small town boy caught up in big events.
At his age, I was just in pilot training; didn't really know jack about flying. He was out there doin' it in combat.
I've flown with him in a B-25 a few years back (In The Mood, owned by the Klaers, with Bill in the left seat and my father in the right seat. Bill watched him close for about 5 minutes and then pretty much relaxed and let him do whatever he wanted. Bill was very complimentary and Dad was very smooth. We had 4 fighters flying wing with us and they found him a "good lead".) What a noisy, cramped cockpit! I can imagine sweating your rear off in there flying over a hot, humid jungle.
He still flies a bit in a Fairchild PT-26; his initial instruction in the Army was in a Fairchild PT-19. He's still got "it"; he flies the heck out of that thing. He can't go solo anymore though; we've got a saftey pilot for him at Mom's insistence. The guy flying with him says he's still instructing and has taught him a lot.
I REALLY wish HT would do him this honor.
