Just a quick note to mark Rememberance day, and acknowledge the contibutions past and present of all those who served their countries in war, thus allowing us the freedoms we often take for granted.
Here in Canada it is a serious and significant day marked by the wearing of the Poppy and Remberance services in towns and cities, from coast to coast. In honour of my Father and Uncles, and all the rest, may you all take a moment today and Remember..
Lest WE Forget"
Dave
Happy rememberance Day
Moderators: GAHorn, Karl Towle, Bruce Fenstermacher
T hank you Dave!
Today, we are losing WW-2 veterans at a faster rate than we did DURING THE WAR! And we still have no national memorial for them!
My Dad is a genuine hero, having served in the 8th Air Force, 466 B.G, 767 squadron, Attlebridge, East Anglia, England. (About 20 miles west of Norwich where the Coleman's mustard company is located, and where the 8th A.F. Memorial Library is presently located.) He was a flight engineer and top turret gunner on a Ford-built B-24-J. (He was in pilot training in 1943 when his entire class was notified 4 weeks before getting their wings that they were being shut down an being sent to either bombadier or flight engineer school. His bomb group had the dubious distinction of losing the LAST bomber in action by Allied forces over Europe,...a B-24 named "Black Cat"...how's THAT for coincidence? The war was actually over, the Germans had surrendered, and the flight crew took their ground crew for a sightseeing flight on April 8, '45 to show them the results of their bombing campaign. A remote German flak unit had not gotten the word yet, and fired on them bringing them down. There's a book out about it written by one survivor.)
WW-2 veterans; THOSE guys are genuine Hero's!
Today, we are losing WW-2 veterans at a faster rate than we did DURING THE WAR! And we still have no national memorial for them!
My Dad is a genuine hero, having served in the 8th Air Force, 466 B.G, 767 squadron, Attlebridge, East Anglia, England. (About 20 miles west of Norwich where the Coleman's mustard company is located, and where the 8th A.F. Memorial Library is presently located.) He was a flight engineer and top turret gunner on a Ford-built B-24-J. (He was in pilot training in 1943 when his entire class was notified 4 weeks before getting their wings that they were being shut down an being sent to either bombadier or flight engineer school. His bomb group had the dubious distinction of losing the LAST bomber in action by Allied forces over Europe,...a B-24 named "Black Cat"...how's THAT for coincidence? The war was actually over, the Germans had surrendered, and the flight crew took their ground crew for a sightseeing flight on April 8, '45 to show them the results of their bombing campaign. A remote German flak unit had not gotten the word yet, and fired on them bringing them down. There's a book out about it written by one survivor.)
WW-2 veterans; THOSE guys are genuine Hero's!
Hey Dave and George,
Dave just before Dad and I went to the airport to meet you, we were discussing his bombing missions in WW2. George, Dad flew 35 missions in B-24's, what a coincidence. I nearly have to pry info from him, but Veterans Day morning was asking him questions and he was saying that when they arrived they were told that out of the 33 bombers that went out from the field the day before, only 5 returned. Dad said the first and last missions were the ones they were nervous about, too busy on the others to have time. The guys were around 19 and 20 years old, doing celestial navigation, and flying 4 engine bombers that had fuel usage from 250 gph to 300 gph - it's why some of them ran out of fuel before getting back. Groups of 33 would form up with sometimes 1,000 bombers in wingspan length formation flying, making a sharp turn in that formation after dropping the bombs. He said the electric suits they wore to fight off the sometimes 50 degree below zero temps, did not always work - cold hard work. Glad our country has a holiday called Veterans Day.
Dave just before Dad and I went to the airport to meet you, we were discussing his bombing missions in WW2. George, Dad flew 35 missions in B-24's, what a coincidence. I nearly have to pry info from him, but Veterans Day morning was asking him questions and he was saying that when they arrived they were told that out of the 33 bombers that went out from the field the day before, only 5 returned. Dad said the first and last missions were the ones they were nervous about, too busy on the others to have time. The guys were around 19 and 20 years old, doing celestial navigation, and flying 4 engine bombers that had fuel usage from 250 gph to 300 gph - it's why some of them ran out of fuel before getting back. Groups of 33 would form up with sometimes 1,000 bombers in wingspan length formation flying, making a sharp turn in that formation after dropping the bombs. He said the electric suits they wore to fight off the sometimes 50 degree below zero temps, did not always work - cold hard work. Glad our country has a holiday called Veterans Day.
Joe
51 C170A
Grand Prairie, TX
51 C170A
Grand Prairie, TX
Hi Joe,
In your post you say.. "Just before Dad and I went to the airport to meet you"?
I think you have the wrong Dave?/ I'm in Victoria, Canada... unless I've forgoten meeting you and your dad
But thank you for the stories.. We all need to do our best to keep these memories alive..
Three of my uncles served over seas in WWII, two were wounded in action.but none in the Airforce.. one of my uncles actually washed out on spin recovery. My Dad Served with the army but spent most of the war as a skipper on a supply boat.. Always thought that was strange? My wife's uncle served for four years in England as ground crew for those B-24s your dad flew.. He is the one that really got me interested in my own flying career.. Sadly all of them are now gone.. All were hero's, all put their life on the line without thought of glory.. My father rarely spoke of the war but my mom told me about how he and a friend volunteered to do a rescue mission in a winter storm from which they were told they might not survive. What more can you say about someone?
By the way for all those WWII Airforce buffs.. I had a chance to drive the famous "Alska Highway this summer and took time to visit as many of the old Staging Airports that were strung out along the way.. These strips were not only important for the highway but were the backbone of the Lend Lease Program which saw the delivery of many many aircraft to Russia over the Bering sea.. A chapter of the conflict not well known about.. For those interested, there is a great book with loads of pictures called "Warplanes to Alaska" by Blake W. Smith that is a really good read.. Publisher is Hancock House.. My dream is to one day fly the route in the 170.. stopping at all the old strips..
One day..
Dave
In your post you say.. "Just before Dad and I went to the airport to meet you"?
I think you have the wrong Dave?/ I'm in Victoria, Canada... unless I've forgoten meeting you and your dad
But thank you for the stories.. We all need to do our best to keep these memories alive..
Three of my uncles served over seas in WWII, two were wounded in action.but none in the Airforce.. one of my uncles actually washed out on spin recovery.
My Dad Served with the army but spent most of the war as a skipper on a supply boat.. Always thought that was strange? My wife's uncle served for four years in England as ground crew for those B-24s your dad flew.. He is the one that really got me interested in my own flying career.. Sadly all of them are now gone.. All were hero's, all put their life on the line without thought of glory.. My father rarely spoke of the war but my mom told me about how he and a friend volunteered to do a rescue mission in a winter storm from which they were told they might not survive. What more can you say about someone?By the way for all those WWII Airforce buffs.. I had a chance to drive the famous "Alska Highway this summer and took time to visit as many of the old Staging Airports that were strung out along the way.. These strips were not only important for the highway but were the backbone of the Lend Lease Program which saw the delivery of many many aircraft to Russia over the Bering sea.. A chapter of the conflict not well known about.. For those interested, there is a great book with loads of pictures called "Warplanes to Alaska" by Blake W. Smith that is a really good read.. Publisher is Hancock House.. My dream is to one day fly the route in the 170.. stopping at all the old strips..
One day..
Dave
Gee, Dave, didn't make much of an impression did we - you already forgot meeting us! 
You are right, I got mixed up on the Daves. Canada Dave, Arkansas Dave who is also Alaska Dave.
As a side note, as I understand it, there was not an Air Force back then, it was part of the Army. One of the other stories I pried out of my Dad yesterday morning was that if you were shot down, it was very important to make sure you were captured by the German military, not the civilians. One of the men in his group had to parachute out of his stricken bomber and the civilians did many things to him, the last being to cut his head off. The military would treat you as a prisoner of war, the civilians who were being bombed were not operating under those rules. I appreciate your stories too, our heritage is something to be very proud of. We would not be flying our 170's around if it were not for the many sacrifices of so many great men and women of our past and present.
Joe
51 C170A
Grand Prairie, TX
51 C170A
Grand Prairie, TX