Just a quick blog about my afternoon spent with E.R. "Pony" Maples. Veterans and their stories are the biggest reason why I love flying warbirds.

A Pony, A Mustang, and a Basement

Neat story!

neat story, for sure

That is fantastic. You could try taking a video camera next time and recording the stories before they are gone.

pokette wrote:That is fantastic. You could try taking a video camera next time and recording the stories before they are gone.

That is planned to be (already started) done...a buddy of mine does professional videos and is setting up a time to do a video biography of Pony before his Alzheimer's progresses to far to remember his stories. As I understand it, there is also a biography in the works that records the story of his life and adventures.

Great story Chris. You really should get Pony's story on EAA's Timeless Voices Of Aviation. Here is the link.

http://www.eaa.org/timelessvoices/participate.asp

Good day

Excellent piece! Thank you for sharing.

This past weekend I had the privilege of coordinating a reunion of a WWII veteran with FiFi for the first time since the war. He was a mechanic on B-29s in China, Burma, and on West Field - Tinian Island. He was there when the Enola Gay was loaded and departed for Japan as well as being onboard a B-29 circling . Some great stories were told and a completely separate veteran story / mystery emerged during the visit. I plan to write a blog about it followed by a much longer article detailing the reunion and the mystery that emerged. We are still researching much of that mystery and it is becoming more interesting at every turn...I'll let you all know when I get it done.

Great cliffhangar Waiting patiently.