Several years ago, there was a small air show here at the Baton Rouge Metro Airport. It was a USAAF installation in WW2 called Harding Field. Pilots were trained mainly on P-47s and B-26s here among others, but that is not what the thread is about. Anyway, I took my dad to the airfield where a B-17 and a B-24 flew in and landed for a living history static display. We walked around and took a good look at the two old war birds. My dad wasn't able to climb up in them, so he stood outside on the tarmac and talked to some of the pilots. Of course I had to get my moneys worth and get a good look and feel at what I had been reading about all these years. There is not much space in there, either machines let me tell you. The term "lean and mean" comes to mind. I was up in the nose section of the B-17, pretending I was shooting at Bf 109s and FW 190s when an older woman climbed in by herself, and worked her way to the top turret gunner's position. She stood there, looking as if she was in deep thought or prayer, with tears coming out of her eyes. Then after a short time, she had this look of contentment come over her, and a faint smile appeared on her face. Without asking, she looked at me and told me that her older brother was a top turret gunner in a B-17 flying out of England with the 8th Air Force. He was killed in action over Germany when she was a kid she said. She then said that she had to see the inside of a B-17, and that she felt much better by seeing where his fighting position was during the war. It looked like a ton of weight was lifted off of the lady. I didn't say anything. What could anyone say? She looked away, stood there for a few more minutes, then climbed down to the ground, assisted by several younger men that I assume were her grandsons. Later, the last scene of "Saving Private Ryan" came to mind when thinking of that day in the B-17.

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On the Plains of Hesitation
lies the blackend bones of countless millions
who, at the dawn of victory sat down to rest,
and resting died....
(author unknown-I wish it was me)

Very powerful. MY Dad experienced something similar the first time he visited the USS Arizona Memorial, and later the Punchbowl.

He was at Pearl Harbor during the attack and lost friends. I wish he had known about his brother's name on the MIA memorial for the Battle of the Atlantic in NYC Battery Park.

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"I love deadlines. I love the 'Whooshing' noise they make when they go by." - Doug Adams

A-58

nothing needs to be said, though a hug for the gal would go a long way.

I've done this with my own customers of WW2 age, which most of them are

thanks for sharing this

E ~

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