Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: rkanjl on May 16, 2009, 11:34:23 AM
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It was twenty seven years ago that a friend and I went to an airshow in Mesa, Arizona. As we enjoyed the show, I couldn't help but notice a lot of activity going on at a table to the right of us. It was too far away to make out exactly what was so interesting about it but close enough to repeatedly get our attention.
Eventually there came a break in the show and we decided to amble over and see what the commotion was all about. As the people cleared away and we got closer I saw an older gentleman in a light blue jumpsuit selling books. I picked up a copy and checked out the title, "Baa Baa Black Sheep". Oh, interesting, I thought, obliviously opening the cover to peek inside. When the lights finally went on, I looked up at the man and instantly saw the name "Pappy" embroidered on his jump suit.
Needless to say, it was surreal. As he autographed my book I managed to stumble out a few words and thanked him for his sacrifice and service and told him what an honor it was to meet him. He then shook my hand with an iron grip.
It was an amazing day for me. I can't tell you how good the airshow was, I can't tell you because this is the only part I remember, but I can still see Pappy standing tall and looking fit for his then 69 years of age. He passed away six years later, in January of 1988, but he still flies in my memories. Godspeed Pappy.
(http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww85/rkanjl/100_0564.jpg)
(http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww85/rkanjl/100_0565.jpg)
(http://i708.photobucket.com/albums/ww85/rkanjl/100_0567.jpg)
Please, if you have a WWII story to tell about a connection that you have had with a person, place, plane or whatever that meant something special to you, tell it here. I would really like to hear about it!
rkanjl
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nice :aok
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In 2002, I was riding with my 'Wild Bunch' on Harleys, most of which were show quality custom bikes of one type or another, out of Seattle on I-90 going east over the Cascade Mountains to Eastern Washington for a long weekend run. We stopped at the top of Snoqualmie Pass to gas up and then grab some coffee as it was still a beautiful early summer morning.
We had quite a crew that day so it took time for everyone to fuel up, go next door to the restaurant get their coffee and do their usual roadkillting. Eventually there were 10 rather extreme, expensive and if I may say so, spectacular-looking custom Harleys all lined up neatly in front of the restaurant.
After finishing our coffee and heading outside, we saw this really little old man and his wife walking up and down the row of bikes, staring and pointing things out to each other rather intently. As we're just a bunch bad looking, good ol' boys, we said hello and started to talk motorbikes with the old guy.
Turned out they were English, and he and his wife were on their first trip to the U.S. He seemed quite knowledgable about various makes and models, particularly English and Italian bikes, and wanted to know more about the Harleys. As often happens, we hunkered down on the curb and spent a good bit of time talking bikes and showing off ours to this nice old English couple.
As he reminisced about riding various bikes over the years, eventually told us about one of his favorites that he rode during WWII, on which he used his meager ration of petrol whenever he left his airfield during the Battle of Britain. Yup, you guessed it. This guy who looked to be about 5 foot nothing, thin as a toothpick, and at least 120 years old had been an RAF Spitfire pilot in the war, and later a career officer.
You wouldn't believe the energy he still had, or the strength in his voice as he told us about flying Spits against the Germans. I think we spent two hours before we left there after listening to his stories. Everyone in our group was enthralled. The stupid thing was, none of us remembered to write is name down to be able to contact him later in England. The only blemish on what was otherwise an unforgettable day.
My only other real connection to WWII was my father, who crewed as a Central Fire Control Engineer in B-29's flying the Hump in the CBI, and later over Japan in the Pacific theater.
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I work with a guy who is from around the same area in California (Kern County I believe it is) that Pappy was from, and he did a college paper or something of the sort on him and interviewed him twice around the early or mid 80's. And when he told me that well I made him tell me everything he could remember of the interviews. And what he said he remembered the most was that you could tell that he lived his life hard (nothing that was said it was just a feeling he got while talking to him) and that is the one thing that stuck in his mind the most.
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Papy was just an amzing guy and pretty damn good pilot...My dad was in the army from 1944-1946 and he fought in the Battle of the Bulge... he will be 83 come august..and my dad;s older brother was a navigator in a b24 during the war....none the less good post.. :salute
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Sloehand, do you live anywhere near Seattle?
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Really wish I had been able to meet my grandfather who was in WWII. He was on one of the ships (want to say Arizona) during Pearl. I have heard he loved flying, must be where I get it. He flew Grumman products, F6F, F8F.
(http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/df42bc0d72cab763ab979da4008a2b985g.jpg)
Only real run-in with WWII I have had was when survivors of the "Indianapolis" spoke at the college. Was one heck of an experience. Was three survivors and two rescuers.
(http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/eb016a8ffe228fcb929eb8352bca49755g.jpg)
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Sloehand, do you live anywhere near Seattle?
Didn't you get the Memo ... ;) Yea he Lives just south of us.
oh yea Did you guys catch flyday at Paine last Sat ??? The Pony and 109 was killer , along with the locals doing the 12 plane formation .
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oh yea Did you guys catch flyday at Paine last Sat ??? The Pony and 109 was killer , along with the locals doing the 12 plane formation .
No -- I missed it. However, last Friday, I was getting lunch with one of they guys from work (lunch near the end of the runway at Paine) when I heard a prop plane. "Hmmm," says my brain. "That doesn't sound like a commercial plane -- that sounds like a WWII plane." I stopped and looked up, and sure enough appearing over the top of the building is a P-51, flaps and gear down, going around in the pattern.
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I work with a guy who is from around the same area in California (Kern County I believe it is) that Pappy was from, and he did a college paper or something of the sort on him and interviewed him twice around the early or mid 80's. And when he told me that well I made him tell me everything he could remember of the interviews. And what he said he remembered the most was that you could tell that he lived his life hard (nothing that was said it was just a feeling he got while talking to him) and that is the one thing that stuck in his mind the most.
Yeah, that's what of the things that came from your memoirs. He lived life to the edge, at the edge of society. He made no qualms about spending the entire night partying with his squad and leaving afterwards for a 4 hour sortie at first light (cacthing a nap on the way). He admitted to being a misfit who didn't properly settled in civilian life well after WWII. Even how he managed to pull a squadron together out of rejects, replacements and misfits (without having the time for training that normal squadrons had before they deployed to theater) is a remarkable achievement. Considering that he saw action in China and Rabaul and spent a while in a Japanise POW camp, he had everyright to be a misfit.
Ok, thread-jack over.
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:( Unfortunately, my interest in WWII came a little too late before I could talk with my Grandfather about his wartime experiences. I do remember some things he had told me, though I was pretty young at the time. He had mentioned he spent a portion of his Pacific tour in Iwo Jima, as a member of the Army/National Guard. He had enlisted as a Guardsman and I guess the Army took soldiers from the Guard and incorporated them with the regular Army or something. The company he was with had an attachment of 4 Sherman tanks and many infantrymen. The story I remember the best was their company, I believe, were charged with holding a particular piece of territory on the island (this was after the main attack and occupation by Allied forces). The lack of action at the time made the men quite restless and they did all sorts of wild stuff to pass the time. He told me one day, they got sick of eating the Military Issued rations ("K" rations I think, or maybe "C", not sure which), and they decided to go fishing in a near by lagoon, with frag grenades no less, lol. He said they spent a few hours swimming out and collecting all the fish they had blasted and the whole company ate like kings for a few days. He brought back a souvenir with him, a Bayonet from his Garand rifle. I miss him and wish I had spent more time picking his brain of his war stories. He passed away 5 years ago at the age of 87.
SALUTE to all past, present and future military men and women, and those who gave their life for our freedoms, thank you.
A8Chewie :salute
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Growing up I knew that my Grandfather was in WWII. He worked on B-17s. I was not aloud to ask him anything about his life in WWII. I just found out recently the reason why is b/c one of the B-17s he worked on ended up crashing and killed the whole crew. My Mother told me when that happened, my grandfather kinda lost it b/c he knew the whole crew, and took their passing as his fault. She said he was sent to Pineville for a lil while, thankfully he somewhat recovered and was able to come home. He had been gone for a lil over a year now. I really wish I could've talked to him about his experience. In a way I am glad I didn't get to, I definately wouldn't have want to brought up any old memories of that day.
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Both of my grandparents from mother's side fought in Warsaw uprising 44'. Grandma was a nurse in an assault battalion "Odwet" of Polish underground army. She's 86 now and still doesn't talk much about her experiences but when she does it's very emotional. Stories of treating wounded fighters - most of them friends of her; evacuating casualties under fire, relocating and running from Germans and such. But one story is really terrifying. At the end of uprising they had field hospital in a large villa in the suburbs of the city. They got a signal that they had Russian SS troops heading their way. Most medics and a handful of wounded managed to evacuate just in time before the hospital was surrounded by Russians. She watched from concealment as Russians set up perimeter around villa, set it on fire, and then methodically executed everyone trying to get out of the burning house. Rest of the patients died in flames.
Grandfather shared few stories too. He remembers in great detail operation Frantic VII of 8th AF to resupply the uprising, as seen from the receiving end. He says that the great number of low flying B17s was quite an impressive sight... and sound :). Then he was wounded and while being evacuated from the city, the truck he was on was strafed by a Russian fighter. He says that the pilot had to be aware that he attacked a civilian Polish target as there were no Germans in the area. Still he made multiple passes on that truck and its passengers as they tried to hide from the attacks.
My grandmother's from dad's side apartment was occupied by mother of Luftwaffe pilot fighting on the eastern front. When he was killed she received his belongings which included package of wartime "Adler" magazines, letters, some military decorations and a tin model of German single-seat airplane painted complete in camouflage, national and unit markings. She was evacuated when Russian army rolled close to my city and left all these things in the flat which was then reoccupied by my family. Unfortunately those items had to bring some unpleasant recollections to my grandmother, because she destroyed them all few years later. Wish I could get my hands on them and learn something about the pilot.
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Thank you all for sharing the stories...
:salute
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Two separate stories from me (aside from my Grandpa serving from 43-46 in the USMC in the PTO).
Around September of last year, the wife and kid were in line ordering some grub. I procured a table and walking out of the place was a a gentleman wearing a Pearl Harbor Survivor hat. I shot up quick and as he walked by, I stuck out my hand and said "Thank you". His wife fought back tears and he grabbed my arm and his eyes said "thanks".
Next one is more recent. My Jeep club was up near West Branch doing Trail Cleanup for the DNR. I rode shotgun with my buddy and he complained about the guy in front of him going under the speed limit. I noticed a "Tin can sailor" sticker on the back window and told my buddy about what that meant. He was a survivor from "Taffy 3". My buddy then was amazed after I told him what they did. He pulled into the same parking lot where my car was. I walked up to him and simply said "Thank you for service". This guy then proceeded to chat for about 10 minutes.
But my Grandfather turned down a purple heart carrying his buddy ashore on the Invasion of Guam. They were fresh out of Camp Lejeune and told "to not become friends with anyone". My grandpa said "that was impossible". He then regretted not accepting it "because he would've gotten out sooner". It's been 11 years since I've seen him and not one day goes by where I don't think of him.
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It was twenty seven years ago that a friend and I went to an airshow in Mesa, Arizona.
This post got me to thinkin, and I think I noticed the same man at an airshow at Miramar NAS in '83ish.
The extent of my knowledge at the time was by watching Baa Baa Blacksheep as a kid.
I didn't run up to greet him though because I was probably looking for the actor Robert Conrad! lol
I work with a guy who is from around the same area in California (Kern County I believe it is) that Pappy was from
That is where I am from also. Bakersfield to be exact, and I never knew that. Of course I knew that Buck Owens,
Merle Haggard, and Frank Gifford was from there but not Pappy. If I had known I might of had the courage to
ingratiate myself with him at that airshow way back when.
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:( Unfortunately, my interest in WWII came a little too late before I could talk with my Grandfather about his wartime experiences. I do remember some things he had told me, though I was pretty young at the time. He had mentioned he spent a portion of his Pacific tour in Iwo Jima, as a member of the Army/National Guard. He had enlisted as a Guardsman and I guess the Army took soldiers from the Guard and incorporated them with the regular Army or something. The company he was with had an attachment of 4 Sherman tanks and many infantrymen. The story I remember the best was their company, I believe, were charged with holding a particular piece of territory on the island (this was after the main attack and occupation by Allied forces). The lack of action at the time made the men quite restless and they did all sorts of wild stuff to pass the time. He told me one day, they got sick of eating the Military Issued rations ("K" rations I think, or maybe "C", not sure which), and they decided to go fishing in a near by lagoon, with frag grenades no less, lol. He said they spent a few hours swimming out and collecting all the fish they had blasted and the whole company ate like kings for a few days. He brought back a souvenir with him, a Bayonet from his Garand rifle. I miss him and wish I had spent more time picking his brain of his war stories. He passed away 5 years ago at the age of 87.
SALUTE to all past, present and future military men and women, and those who gave their life for our freedoms, thank you.
A8Chewie :salute
You should get Iwo Jima by Eric Hammel. I got it on the suggestion of Widewing. Eric is a friend of his. Lots of info and never before published pictures in that book. I enjoyed it emensely.
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I met Adolf Galland at some sort of public speaking engagement, but I was very young and don't remember much of anything about it except that I was old enough to be thoroughly awed at meeting a famous WW2 ace. My dad had copy of Galland's book which he autographed for us, but I have no idea what ever became of it.
My father was too young and both my grandfathers too old for WW2, but five of my uncles served during the war. My father's oldest brother was a gunner's mate in the Naval Armed Guard (Navy men who served as gun crews on merchant ships) and made many Atlantic crossings; the middle brother was some sort of ground crew (don't know what exactly he did) for planes flying supplies over the Hump from Burma to China. I doubt anyone in the family had ever even heard of Burma before the war, and as far as they knew he might as well have been on the far side of the moon.
My mother's oldest brother-in-law, at that time my aunt's fiance, was an infantryman in the PTO, and for years she told me he never saw any real combat. She said he had landed on some little island in the middle of nowhere called Biak but the Japanese all ran away without really fighting, but not to ask him about it because he didn't really like to talk about the war. When I was much older I discovered that it was actually a pretty horrible battle, the Army's version of Peleliu, and he had lied about it all along, I'm guessing at first because he didn't want them worrying about him and later because he didn't want to have to explain himself or dredge up bad memories.
A number of family friends from my church were in WW2 as well. One was a tanker in the 3rd Army and another was a gunner on a B-24 that survived the Ploesti raid (Operation Tidal Wave). But of course most of them spent most or all of the war in the rear area or at home.
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...My dad was in the army from 1944-1946 and he fought in the Battle of the Bulge...
My Dad did also. 10th Armored Sherman driver. Link to letter I posted about it on the boards in the past. http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,219564.msg2639812.html#msg2639812 (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,219564.msg2639812.html#msg2639812)
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my was with 3rd ID..I believe same.. unit as Audie Murphy.. he was heavy weapons plt sgt if I recall..
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I live in Sierra Vista AZ next to FT Huachuca. Lots of retired Military here. I own a plumbing service company and quite offen run into WWII vets that have retired here.
Met Milo Berg last year B17 pilot did full tour not a scratch on him or his crewmen. Dont have all there names at the top of my head.
Met a SBD tailgunner we talked for hours.
Met a corsair pilot said he saw more planes lost to to much throtle to quick as the torque would basically flip the plane over as the prop just stood there. The way he explained it as they would land on a carrier. if the messed up they would have to throtle up and go around again. If you didnt do it just right it would dump the plane over into the water.
I also live 1hr away from Tucson and the pima air and space musseum. Lots of Vet donate there time to give tours and talk with you. A must see it you are ever in Tucson AZ.
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been to the Pima Air and SPace..had a great time there..
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I was reading this post several days ago and thought I can't recall talking to or seeing anyone lately that was involved in WWII. Then I recieved my new Rifleman Magazine from the NRA and was reading a story on the Guns of D-Day. I was halfway through the story and was up to a part about the Rangers climbing the Bluffs to disable the 5 heavy guns. I had to get to work so I put the Mag down there.
So the next day I went to Ocean County College here in New Jersey to see my Nefew Graduate College. The Military Chaplain from nearby Fort Dix introduced the person being honored with the Outstanding Citizen Award. He was the NCO of D company, 2nd Ranger Battalion Bud Lomell. He gave a great speach to the Grads (he wasn't prepared with a written speech) and was greeted with tremendous applause as he pined about all the wars since WWII. He hoped the new Grads could change that.
I went back home later to pick up the Rifleman Magazine were I had left off and there he was Bud Lomell in a war-time photo. Life is often Ironic and always expect the unexpected.
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You should get Iwo Jima by Eric Hammel. I got it on the suggestion of Widewing. Eric is a friend of his. Lots of info and never before published pictures in that book. I enjoyed it emensely.
Thanks Shuffler, might have to do that. :salute
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I was reading this post several days ago and thought I can't recall talking to or seeing anyone lately that was involved in WWII. Then I recieved my new Rifleman Magazine from the NRA and was reading a story on the Guns of D-Day. I was halfway through the story and was up to a part about the Rangers climbing the Bluffs to disable the 5 heavy guns. I had to get to work so I put the Mag down there.
So the next day I went to Ocean County College here in New Jersey to see my Nefew Graduate College. The Military Chaplain from nearby Fort Dix introduced the person being honored with the Outstanding Citizen Award. He was the NCO of D company, 2nd Ranger Battalion Bud Lomell. He gave a great speach to the Grads (he wasn't prepared with a written speech) and was greeted with tremendous applause as he pined about all the wars since WWII. He hoped the new Grads could change that.
I went back home later to pick up the Rifleman Magazine were I had left off and there he was Bud Lomell in a war-time photo. Life is often Ironic and always expect the unexpected.
Great experience there. I read that article first thing when I got mine.
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Great memories gents! PiratPX.... :salute
My great uncle flew supplies in the CBI Theater. He has 74 trips over the "hump" and his B-24 is credited with shooting down at least one Zeke during his tour.
At work, I met an old-timer who worked on the auto turrets in the B-29's in the PTO.