| Author | Message | ||
     Crusty |
Check out this video about an American Spitfire pilot in World War 2 It's about 15 minutes long and well worth watching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie3SrjLlcUY&list=P Lr_xNJgOnbQTmgVvEnr7MDHKHAuOhUE24&index=1 | ||
| Aesquire |
Awesome. The Greatest Generation, indeed. | ||
| Pwnzor |
I got a frog in my throat watching the old man see that footage of himself for the first time. | ||
| Gschuette |
Nice video. Thanks for sharing. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
That was terrific thanks for sharing. Just on a side note, he mentioned that he flew from Bradwell Bay, that site was decomissioned as an airfield after the war & now houses a nuclear power station. I've visited many of the old wartime airfields, some of which (very few) are still operating but most have returned to agricultural use. Some of the buildings have been converted to industrial use & even housing. Most people are unaware in the UK that you can be driving along not even knowing that you're driving down a runway or across an old airbase. If you keep your eyes open though you can spot the buildings, maybe only a hangar in the corner of a farmers field or an industrial estate grown up around the old WD buildings & barracks. Very evocative places. edit. Just remembered I've a couple of books on the subject given to me by the author Michael Bowyer, who was a friend of my Mum. If you're interested in this stuff. http://www.flyingbooks.co.uk/acatalog/Action_Stations.html (Message edited by Mr_grumpy on June 29, 2013) | ||
| Ducbsa |
On a business trip in 2000 or so, I was at an industrial site at an old airbase in Eye, near Bury St. Edmunds. There were small tin sheds with what looked like bullet holes. I assumed from German strafing. | ||
| Iamike |
Here's a story about a WWII pilot that is a friend of mine. He was really excited when he got the first phone call and then when the guy brought the plane for a visit he was through the roof. http://www.flyingmag.com/pilots-places/pilots-adve ntures-more/video-veteran-gets-reunited-his-wwii-w arbird Do a search of Mert Hansen and there are several stories. Here is the original one: http://www.hy-vee.com/company/press-room/announcem ents/manager-can-count-on.aspx | ||
| Etennuly |
That is awesome. I have known several WWII veterans from my child hood on. The folks I was fortunate enough to meet all seemed to have this air about them that said "I have something I'd like to tell you", even if they did not get the chance to. Thanks for posting this. | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Mike, that was REALLY cool. Thanks for the links. | ||
| Birdy |
Thanks for the link. They were Giants back then. | ||
| Iamike |
My father-in-law died 2 weeks ago at the age of 98. He was an old 26 during the war and for a long time he would only tell me he served in the Army Air Force stationed in Australia. One time when I was pumping him for stories he told me that "Only the guys that didn't see real action talked about it." It wasn't until my wife started writing a book about his service did we find out about his actions. Then his brother-in-law told us about his driving the troop beach landing boats during a couple of the invasions. He said at one of them not one of the Rangers in the first wave made it back. It is really sobering hearing their stories. |
