tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post1726388935851871498..comments2024-03-29T07:07:50.840-07:00Comments on Chant du Départ: The Friday Flyby - 10 MayOldAFSargehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-60399246402056691192013-05-13T04:26:02.467-07:002013-05-13T04:26:02.467-07:00Glad you liked it.Glad you liked it.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-88601019264371478112013-05-12T16:11:52.769-07:002013-05-12T16:11:52.769-07:00That was an awesome post about some awesome men. T...That was an awesome post about some awesome men. Thank you.<br />HMS Defianthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10024721130102173694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-29355476964567911752013-05-12T11:38:50.076-07:002013-05-12T11:38:50.076-07:00I fell in love with that photo when it popped up i...I fell in love with that photo when it popped up in my search. I thought it was perfect. I'm glad you like it.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-28175620190775098542013-05-12T10:25:46.660-07:002013-05-12T10:25:46.660-07:00Although, that smoke could just be some clouds...e...Although, that smoke could just be some clouds...either way, great shot for the Friday Flyby!Tunahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04930237104692982421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-72216533983871381672013-05-11T22:48:43.477-07:002013-05-11T22:48:43.477-07:00Love that first picture- very badass shot. The sm...Love that first picture- very badass shot. The smoke behind is telling, as if the bird just came off a bombing run and set the earth aflame under it. Tunahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04930237104692982421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-2667154874656246842013-05-11T10:25:13.013-07:002013-05-11T10:25:13.013-07:00The ball turret, I shudder to think of it.The ball turret, I shudder to think of it.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-23479429202045143942013-05-11T10:22:00.141-07:002013-05-11T10:22:00.141-07:00I've been inside a Fort and I agree with you, ...I've been inside a Fort and I agree with you, Virgil. I don't know HOW in the Hell those guys got out when they were going down... but more than a few did. I thinkin' very few ball-turret gunners got out, though.Buckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-26272604779917326442013-05-11T08:04:26.247-07:002013-05-11T08:04:26.247-07:00That's what that photo reminded me of. I mean ...<b>That's</b> what that photo reminded me of. I mean the smoke and all in the background. Thanks for filling in that blank Skip!<br /><br />I'm guessing that the B-17's were getting rather long in the tooth so they replaced them with the P2's and S2F's? Just a guess...OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-9784837999788705842013-05-11T07:39:04.921-07:002013-05-11T07:39:04.921-07:00That photo at the top of this post reminded me of ...That photo at the top of this post reminded me of the times I've seen those old Forts in action.<br />When I first moved here there were a number of them in use by the Forest Service and CDF (California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection, now called CalFire) for attacking wildfires from the air.<br />Now we see P2s and S2Fs.(not necessarily your) Uncle Skiphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02705753220273516841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-69633865644798979032013-05-10T16:47:49.126-07:002013-05-10T16:47:49.126-07:00Wow. Your uncle fought in Korea? My wife and her f...Wow. Your uncle fought in Korea? My wife and her family owe him and guys like him their freedom. Some might forget the Korean War. I don't. I'll have to post on that one of these days.<br /><br />Thanks for the idea Greg.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-79001987068516632622013-05-10T16:46:21.999-07:002013-05-10T16:46:21.999-07:00I'll keep a weather eye open for that one VX.I'll keep a weather eye open for that one VX.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-59656368256326192232013-05-10T16:45:44.187-07:002013-05-10T16:45:44.187-07:00They've got a flyable Fort down at Pungo (near...They've got a flyable Fort down at Pungo (near Va Beach). Hatches were all opened up last time I was down there, so I had a peak. Yeah, not a lot of room.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-66719642747439129142013-05-10T16:42:20.534-07:002013-05-10T16:42:20.534-07:00I'm guessing that he figured it was time he to...I'm guessing that he figured it was time he told you that stuff. That generation was something else. We owe them a lot.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-35720264923425040732013-05-10T15:16:10.439-07:002013-05-10T15:16:10.439-07:00Great post-story hits home. I agree w/ Buck, lotta... Great post-story hits home. I agree w/ Buck, lotta guy's stories gone for good. i know I never felt was 'right' or 'my place' to ask my uncle who was in Korea, he was wounded but never talked about it.Greg Peaveyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00983526350040615801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-67647337306819994812013-05-10T14:41:53.757-07:002013-05-10T14:41:53.757-07:00PS: I had a good friend and fraternity brother fro...PS: I had a good friend and fraternity brother from Orlando whose Father was a KIA O-4 B-17G Squadron CO. In 2008 I ran across a "real-time" 8th AF running squadron history of his squadron which made for some somber reading in terms of losses and msn descriptions--made for FASCINATING reading. Unfortunately I lost it when Delicious screwed up some of my book-marks and I've never been able to find it since. The Guys last name was Maj Hendricks and if anyone ever runs across it again let me know as I'd like to send a copy to his son (who is my age-69)virgil xenophonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14577165785872035948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-19442766083409122772013-05-10T14:30:34.871-07:002013-05-10T14:30:34.871-07:00Had a B-17G fly into Bowman Field in Louisville ci...Had a B-17G fly into Bowman Field in Louisville circa 1989/90 for static display. One really has to get inside to appreciate how small & cramped the spaces were and how hard-to-impossible it would have been to bail out in any sort of uncontrollable attitude. "Only if it has an ejection-seat!" is my motto--although I guess I broke that when I was working out in the O-2, lol.virgil xenophonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14577165785872035948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-53782466718438223312013-05-10T11:28:25.092-07:002013-05-10T11:28:25.092-07:00Thanks for the link.
The Ol' Man was a lot ...Thanks for the link. <br /><br />The Ol' Man was a lot like Ed in that he never talked much about the war... until he was on his death bed, metaphorically speaking. He and I spent an entire evening sitting in his garage the last time I saw him before he died, him talking, me listening, and the both of us drinking good bourbon and smoking cigars. My step-mother tried to stop that when she realized what we were doing (her heart was in the right place: drinkin' and smokin' were DEFINITELY two things he shouldn't have been doin' in the condition he was in) but the Ol' Man growled at her to "go away." She did.<br /><br />Anyhoo... the stories came pouring out and I wish, to this day, that I had had a tape recorder that night. I'm thinkin' we... all of us... lost a lot because most of those stories went to the grave with their owners. I'm glad I got to hear his.Buckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-36554177858196988202013-05-10T09:21:33.181-07:002013-05-10T09:21:33.181-07:00Ed wouldn't say much about his time, but you c...Ed wouldn't say much about his time, but you could see in his eyes that it still haunted him.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-63115557845325344612013-05-10T08:23:05.660-07:002013-05-10T08:23:05.660-07:00Great post, these heros need to be remembered.
My...Great post, these heros need to be remembered.<br /><br />My ex-FIL flew in the turrets over 20 missions. He would not talk much about it.<br /><br />I remember he said sometimes they had to "Hose the gunners out" because they were so shot up.<br />He claimed when they landed he was handed a bottle of booze as they were all so shaken up.<br />It is no wonder he became an alchoholic (he did kick it) He survived, physically, but the mental toll was obvious.<br /><br />These men endured more than is imaginable to me!joehhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08520161706680568508noreply@blogger.com