(Badwater Bill) wrote in message . ..
Another one of those things I get from docents out at PASM. Don't
know if true, but certainly sounds like it. If not, a good yarn
anyway.
Let
us be thankful for such men.
- - - -
I wonder how many more stories like this one are lost
each day as members of that Great Generation pass on.


Amen to that Bill. I wish that I could have been old enough and
persistant enough to get my uncles to talk about their experiences
before they passed on. One flew with the 1st Air Commandos and
supported Merril and Wingate for the entire time they were in Burma.
I've got some of his original orders and decoration orders as well as
monthly flight sheets. From one month's flight sheets, it appears that
he flew over 500 missions in 28 days....bear in mind that at that
time, everything, including maintenace hops were considered combat
missions since they were way behind enemy lines and constantly shot
at. What's really unfortunate is that he was also an accomplished
photographer and took tens of thousands of photos over there. His
ex-wife in a real fit of spite destroyed all the pictures and
negatives before anyone could rescue them.

My other uncle flew with VP-74 all over the east coast of North
America, South America and the Carribean as an aircraft commander in
PBM's. His crew helped to sink at least two German subs and was nearly
shot out of the sky by a sub on the surface during one battle. I've
pictures that were shot of his PBM when it got back with all the holes
in it and water pouring out of some gaping ones in the belly of the
hull.

Doesn't matter what you think of them and the current military
people,, as well as all who have served, they all deserve our utmost
respect and grattitude for that service. I just wish more people would
show that.

Craig C.