Bush
November 13th 07, 01:50 PM
A note to all my friends in aviation,
This weekend, I took my two kids to the local Stuart Florida Veterans
Day Air show. This is a small local show we have visited in the past
where the kids have fun climbing in and through aircraft that are part
of an extensive Air Force static display. While walking around looking
at the various exhibitor displays consisting of the usual water
filtration and condo timeshare pitchmen, I came across a white tent
that had a small sign hanging in front that said "Legends Of
Aviation." I told the kids, let me just poke my head in and see what
it was all about expecting to see artwork of vintage aircraft.
Inside this small tent was another sign that said "Doolittles Raiders
1:00 to 3:00PM" The time was just after 2 PM. Sitting in the front
were three men dressed in blue blazers, crisp white shirts and
coordinating ties. They each looked so old and frail but yet so proud,
their eyes still clear in sight and full of patriotism for who they
are and what they had accomplished. I stood there for a moment
gathering my thoughts about what I was seeing.
We have all read the story and seen the black and white film of the
B-25's on the deck of the carrier USS Hornet and that first plane
taking flight. These images flashed through my mind as I looked at
three surviving members of Jimmy Doolittles Raiders. The airman
sitting in the front would sign whatever you had for no charge or you
could purchase a color print of a B-25 crossing the coast of Japan and
have them sign it. With print in hand, I asked the kids to have a seat
for a bit while I went forward. You would think that every man, woman
and child in attendance at this air show would want at least a gimps
of these three historic figures in World War II history. There was no
more that a dozen people in the tent at this time. I stood before each
man and watched as they carefully scripted their name on the print,
being sure that every letter was clearly legible. You could sit next
to each man if you wished and take a photo with them. Each airman
elected to use a personal pen most likely for its individual comfort
instead of the stock black Sharpies we always see. After completing
their signatures, each man looked directly at me, offered their hand
to shake and thanked me. Can you imagine, thanking me! All I could
seem to muster from my mouth was "Its a privilege and honor sir, thank
you." As I was standing before one of the airman, my 9 year old son
came up and said: "Dad, I know how much this means to you, show me how
to use your camera and I'll take your picture with them." How
perceptive my little man is.
That night when at home, I turned the computer on, un-rolled my print
and through the wonders of the Internet, started to refresh myself
about Doolitles Raid on Japan. There were 16 B-25 aircraft each
carrying a crew of five that took flight from the deck of the USS
Hornet on April 18th, 1942. 80 brave airman on a one way mission
designed more demoralize Japans populous than on shear destruction.
Some of these airman would die later that day as a result of bailing
out at night once their ship ran out of fuel. Some would drown when
their planes ditched in the sea of the coast of China. Others would
later die in Japanese prison camps as a result of starvation or
execution. An estimated 250,000 Chinese civilians were killed by the
Japanese for their efforts in assisting the remaining US airmen
escape. I looked at the signatures of three of these brave airman on
the print before me.
The first signature was Ed Horton #10. I read on the Internet about
Staff Sergeant Edwin W. Horton, Jr. a gunner aboard aircraft number
10. Next was Thomas Griffen #9. Lieutenant Thomas C. Griffen,
navigator on aircraft number 9. I wondered about how he navigated an
aircraft skimming just above the waves at 250 kts, 600 miles off the
coast of Japan? The last signature, from the airman who made the most
careful effort to provide his signature for me was R E Cole #1.
Richard E. Cole, co-pilot on aircraft number 1. This was the man who
sat in the right seat of a B-25 bomber next to Lt. Colonel James H.
Doolittle, the aircraft we see in the films taking off first from the
Hornet. I wished I could have asked Mr. Cole if those six engine
control levers he must have been pushing against their stops during
take-off were maybe bent a little future forward from excessive
pressing?
I will frame my print with the three signatures and always display it
with pride. I was lucky to have gone to the Stuart Veterans Day Air
Show and to have passed by a small tent with three Legends Of Aviation
inside.
Mark Storrs
This weekend, I took my two kids to the local Stuart Florida Veterans
Day Air show. This is a small local show we have visited in the past
where the kids have fun climbing in and through aircraft that are part
of an extensive Air Force static display. While walking around looking
at the various exhibitor displays consisting of the usual water
filtration and condo timeshare pitchmen, I came across a white tent
that had a small sign hanging in front that said "Legends Of
Aviation." I told the kids, let me just poke my head in and see what
it was all about expecting to see artwork of vintage aircraft.
Inside this small tent was another sign that said "Doolittles Raiders
1:00 to 3:00PM" The time was just after 2 PM. Sitting in the front
were three men dressed in blue blazers, crisp white shirts and
coordinating ties. They each looked so old and frail but yet so proud,
their eyes still clear in sight and full of patriotism for who they
are and what they had accomplished. I stood there for a moment
gathering my thoughts about what I was seeing.
We have all read the story and seen the black and white film of the
B-25's on the deck of the carrier USS Hornet and that first plane
taking flight. These images flashed through my mind as I looked at
three surviving members of Jimmy Doolittles Raiders. The airman
sitting in the front would sign whatever you had for no charge or you
could purchase a color print of a B-25 crossing the coast of Japan and
have them sign it. With print in hand, I asked the kids to have a seat
for a bit while I went forward. You would think that every man, woman
and child in attendance at this air show would want at least a gimps
of these three historic figures in World War II history. There was no
more that a dozen people in the tent at this time. I stood before each
man and watched as they carefully scripted their name on the print,
being sure that every letter was clearly legible. You could sit next
to each man if you wished and take a photo with them. Each airman
elected to use a personal pen most likely for its individual comfort
instead of the stock black Sharpies we always see. After completing
their signatures, each man looked directly at me, offered their hand
to shake and thanked me. Can you imagine, thanking me! All I could
seem to muster from my mouth was "Its a privilege and honor sir, thank
you." As I was standing before one of the airman, my 9 year old son
came up and said: "Dad, I know how much this means to you, show me how
to use your camera and I'll take your picture with them." How
perceptive my little man is.
That night when at home, I turned the computer on, un-rolled my print
and through the wonders of the Internet, started to refresh myself
about Doolitles Raid on Japan. There were 16 B-25 aircraft each
carrying a crew of five that took flight from the deck of the USS
Hornet on April 18th, 1942. 80 brave airman on a one way mission
designed more demoralize Japans populous than on shear destruction.
Some of these airman would die later that day as a result of bailing
out at night once their ship ran out of fuel. Some would drown when
their planes ditched in the sea of the coast of China. Others would
later die in Japanese prison camps as a result of starvation or
execution. An estimated 250,000 Chinese civilians were killed by the
Japanese for their efforts in assisting the remaining US airmen
escape. I looked at the signatures of three of these brave airman on
the print before me.
The first signature was Ed Horton #10. I read on the Internet about
Staff Sergeant Edwin W. Horton, Jr. a gunner aboard aircraft number
10. Next was Thomas Griffen #9. Lieutenant Thomas C. Griffen,
navigator on aircraft number 9. I wondered about how he navigated an
aircraft skimming just above the waves at 250 kts, 600 miles off the
coast of Japan? The last signature, from the airman who made the most
careful effort to provide his signature for me was R E Cole #1.
Richard E. Cole, co-pilot on aircraft number 1. This was the man who
sat in the right seat of a B-25 bomber next to Lt. Colonel James H.
Doolittle, the aircraft we see in the films taking off first from the
Hornet. I wished I could have asked Mr. Cole if those six engine
control levers he must have been pushing against their stops during
take-off were maybe bent a little future forward from excessive
pressing?
I will frame my print with the three signatures and always display it
with pride. I was lucky to have gone to the Stuart Veterans Day Air
Show and to have passed by a small tent with three Legends Of Aviation
inside.
Mark Storrs