Thorp Air Command - T18.net

We need to all take just a moment and reflect on the efforts of our Brothers and Sisters that gave all they had for us to have our freedoms this Memorial Day. The Boys, and I do mean Boys that loaded up in the Bombers and knew very well that they had very little chance of seeing home again, The fighter Pilots that fought with all they had and the boys in the trenches, these brave Sons of American families that gave all, lets remember them and Honor those that have been laid to rest securing our homeland, our our way of life,our America.........Dan

Well said!

_________________
Bob Highley
N711SH
SN 835
KLAL

When you see how slow a B-17 flies overhead , it is easy to see how many we lost . They were easy targets for ground and air attack . Having flown in the Aluminum Overcast it gave me a greater appreciation what these brave young 19-24 year old men did . No heat or cabin pressure ,engine failures , long crew days and the possibility of bailing out into a German Prison Camp ! The B-17 was built like a tank and in fact my Grandmother worked on the Boeing assembly line putting together the hydraulics for the B-17 . She was a pistol and wanted to be a B-17 Ferry Pilot , but she was too short and could not reach the rudder pedals ! My Father-in-Law just passed away year ago at the age of 92 and he was a Priest M-7 tank driver in Germany during WW II . He use to tell me the crew had to sleep on "iron" (the tank) in the Winter in Germany ! These Brave Men are almost gone and I salute the flag next to my hangar every day to remember them along with the Service members now on Active Duty .

V/R

Rich Brazell
CDR , USNR (ret)