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Great WWII Strafing Run

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Great WWII Strafing Run

RanchPilot offline
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Re: Great WWII Strafing Run

Thanks.

My Ma died 3 1/2 weeks ago. Among her remaining belongings is a letter from my Dad's Commander in WWII, explaining why Dad received the Air Medal as co-pilot of a C-47 and the aircraft commander received the DFC, for a flight into a valley in New Guinea to drop much needed supplies to a beleaguered group of Army ground forces who were otherwise cut off by enemy troops. The weather included 50' ceilings, necessitating very (!) low level flying with high terrain on both sides, to accomplish the successful mission. I think Dad was 25 or 26 at that time.

Dad was killed at age 29, while transitioning into a P-51 with the Wyoming Air Guard, in 1948.

There were lots of young heroes in WWII and in the wars before and since, including right now. Except when we personally know them, however, we are seldom affected by, nor do we here about, their acts of heroism. It seems that the media is only willing to report the deaths, not how they occurred nor the heroism that often accompanies those deaths.

I'm no war-monger, and I wish as much as anyone that there were no wars endangering our kids, but it galls me that kids of similar age think that they are being patriotic by being "occupiers". They have no idea what patriotism is.

Cary
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Re: Great WWII Strafing Run

Cary wrote:Thanks.

My Ma died 3 1/2 weeks ago. Among her remaining belongings is a letter from my Dad's Commander in WWII, explaining why Dad received the Air Medal as co-pilot of a C-47 and the aircraft commander received the DFC, for a flight into a valley in New Guinea to drop much needed supplies to a beleaguered group of Army ground forces who were otherwise cut off by enemy troops. The weather included 50' ceilings, necessitating very (!) low level flying with high terrain on both sides, to accomplish the successful mission. I think Dad was 25 or 26 at that time.

Dad was killed at age 29, while transitioning into a P-51 with the Wyoming Air Guard, in 1948.

There were lots of young heroes in WWII and in the wars before and since, including right now. Except when we personally know them, however, we are seldom affected by, nor do we here about, their acts of heroism. It seems that the media is only willing to report the deaths, not how they occurred nor the heroism that often accompanies those deaths.

I'm no war-monger, and I wish as much as anyone that there were no wars endangering our kids, but it galls me that kids of similar age think that they are being patriotic by being "occupiers". They have no idea what patriotism is.

Cary


Sorry for your loss Cary.
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