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Wright Stuff
Back in the mid 70's, I made a trip to the Air Force Museum.
My entourage included my two young children, and my maternal grandfather. It is important to point out that my grandfather was Naval Aviator #711, a number which will sound spectacularly low to the Naval Aviators who read these groups. At the museum, he wanted to look at the W.W.I engines, and explain their intricacies to me. I am named after him, as is my oldest son. But at that time, being young and stupid, I just wanted to look at the jets. I should have listened to him more when I had the chance. After the tour, we visited the Wright Brothers Memorial on a hill overlooking the base. This monument includes a lot of stone blocks, engraved with the names of the men the Wright brothers taught to fly at their Dayton base. My kids considered the blocks to be "things-to-climb-on" and proceeded to cavort and play with no sense of place or history whatsoever. As a life long airplane person, with a romantic streak in that regard, I busied myself having pompous thoughts and a reverent feeling for the place. But my grandfather shattered all this foolishness when he spotted a familiar name engraved in stone: " I knew that son-of-a-bitch! He was my C.O. at Norfolk!" I guess it's all in your point of view....... Bob McKellar |
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Bob McKellar wrote in message ...
Back in the mid 70's, I made a trip to the Air Force Museum. My entourage included my two young children, and my maternal grandfather. It is important to point out that my grandfather was Naval Aviator #711, a number which will sound spectacularly low to the Naval Aviators who read these groups. At the museum, he wanted to look at the W.W.I engines, and explain their intricacies to me. I am named after him, as is my oldest son. But at that time, being young and stupid, I just wanted to look at the jets. I should have listened to him more when I had the chance. After the tour, we visited the Wright Brothers Memorial on a hill overlooking the base. This monument includes a lot of stone blocks, engraved with the names of the men the Wright brothers taught to fly at their Dayton base. My kids considered the blocks to be "things-to-climb-on" and proceeded to cavort and play with no sense of place or history whatsoever. As a life long airplane person, with a romantic streak in that regard, I busied myself having pompous thoughts and a reverent feeling for the place. But my grandfather shattered all this foolishness when he spotted a familiar name engraved in stone: " I knew that son-of-a-bitch! He was my C.O. at Norfolk!" I guess it's all in your point of view....... No, it's not really. You're grandfather's right. Since of all people of the planet, it's still seems to be exclusively the Air Force that can't understand WWI engines. Bob McKellar |
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