I'll add my families story with war. On August 8th
1945, two days after the atomic bomb was dropped on
Hiroshima, my uncle for who I am named was on a
mission over Japan in a B-29 as a waist gunner. They
were hit by anti aircraft fire and crashed. Two men
were able to bail out. My uncle was not one of them.
One of the men was beheaded by the military and the
other who was badly hurt survived to come home after
the war ended on August 12th. He ended up marrying my
aunt and was my Godfather. On August 8th 1978 (the
anniversary of the crash) he committed suicide using
his service revolver after many years of not being
able to resolve why he was the only one spared.
The significance of this one plane is that it was the
last plane lost in combat over Japan in WWII. So close
to making it home.
The grandson of one of the other crew members and I
are putting together as much as we can from government
documents and the other families stories and plan to
write a book on the plane, crew and their families. My
aunt is still alive and sharp as a tack. It is stories
like this and Dana's father that should be remembered.
Folks sacrificed a lot to allow us to be in a place
where we can live our lives like we wish.
Mark Miller
--- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> If you don't like things that aren't strictly about
> soaring, read no further
> and delete.
>
> However, today in history is the reason I fly at
> all.
>
> 60 years ago this hour, 04/29/1944, my father was
> floating in the North Sea,
> having ditched his B-17 Flying Fortress after a
> brutal mission to Berlin. The
> 447th Bomb Group with which he flew, lost 10 a/c
> that day -- all shot down
> after a 'go around' attack much like the one
> portrayed in the movie Memphis
> Belle. You can read more about it at www.447bg.com.
>
> I have traveled to New Hampshire to spend the day
> with him. We watched the
> movie, and raised a new flag on his pole out front
> in memory of the 90 men who
> didn't make it back that day.
>
> Why do I wite? I guess I just want some others to
> know that history, and the
> soaring community is the one I fly with--at least
> when I can.
>
> And, to say we all fly for different reasons.
>
> Thanks for reading.
>
> With all respect to those who now fly in harm's way.
>
> Dana Flemming
>
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