tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post5725538642408034477..comments2024-03-29T04:38:28.940-07:00Comments on Chant du Départ: “Above all the grace and the gifts that Christ gives to his beloved is that of overcoming self.”*OldAFSargehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-75362104812417865102016-02-25T13:57:29.560-08:002016-02-25T13:57:29.560-08:00All good points and questions I've asked mysel...All good points and questions I've asked myself, with no good answers.juvathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09096708575138552532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-50722067180811841132016-02-24T07:40:15.394-08:002016-02-24T07:40:15.394-08:00I remember reading this story in my youth as well....I remember reading this story in my youth as well. One of Ed Jablonsky's books I think. Probably misspelled that.<br /><br />I used to wonder (still do to a large extent) how those men could face such missions and such odds, how they could overcome their fear. Later I learned that you can't do it if you think you're the center of the universe, that there has to be something much bigger than your own paltry existence to hang your hat on. I can remember being so terrified a couple of times that I would have said screw this, I quit. But "Ship, Shipmate, Self" wouldn't allow for that. And those missions were milk and girl scout cookies compared to what WWII crews faced!PrairieAdventurehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06466447251827774900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-72645797348286499202016-02-23T09:01:47.005-08:002016-02-23T09:01:47.005-08:00Yeah, that's why that second quote resonated w...Yeah, that's why that second quote resonated with me. There were people in my squadron I knew with absolute certainty I could rely on them no matter what. I hope there were people that felt the same about me. That bond has been rarely encountered since I returned to civilian life. I miss that.juvathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09096708575138552532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-48424422215372310672016-02-23T00:30:27.549-08:002016-02-23T00:30:27.549-08:00What the Sarge said - I think at some point in tha...What the Sarge said - I think at some point in that flight they decided a little thing like dying wouldn't change their flight or their loyalty. <br />Williamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05720206407574457665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-91521587459575259602016-02-22T19:02:02.089-08:002016-02-22T19:02:02.089-08:00Yes, well...he does that for all of us. One hopes ...Yes, well...he does that for all of us. One hopes the check is worth as much as these two were.juvathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09096708575138552532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-83540233777222998712016-02-22T18:34:26.196-08:002016-02-22T18:34:26.196-08:00Greater love is right... And God cashed their chec...Greater love is right... And God cashed their checks...Old NFOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16404197287935017147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-64139066660699269142016-02-22T08:29:10.110-08:002016-02-22T08:29:10.110-08:00Roger that!Roger that!juvathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09096708575138552532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-86853524363620703502016-02-22T06:22:53.150-08:002016-02-22T06:22:53.150-08:00Your crew is family, and you don't abandon fam...Your crew is family, and you don't abandon family. Good Men, safe in the arms of God.SCOTTtheBADGERhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12859188068159799373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-11817211918976706542016-02-22T05:59:09.337-08:002016-02-22T05:59:09.337-08:00My primary source for this post, spent quite a bit...My primary <a href="http://www.homeofheroes.com/wings/part2/15_bigweek.html" rel="nofollow">source</a> for this post, spent quite a bit of time talking about Lt Nelson, the pilot. Evidently, he was quite a leader who had molded the crew into a coherent team. Leadership has results, as does lack thereof. I had the great good fortune to fly with a lot of the former, but also a few of the latter. I can see how Lt Nelson's crew would have made the choices they did.juvathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09096708575138552532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-40590659996931135232016-02-22T05:53:28.335-08:002016-02-22T05:53:28.335-08:00Evidently, there are several. The source of all k...Evidently, there are several. The source of all knowledge lists <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archibald_Mathies" rel="nofollow">these</a><br /><br /><i>One of the Temporary Lodging units at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling is named in his honor.<br /><br />The Airman Leadership School at RAF Feltwell, UK is named in his honor.<br /><br />The Noncommissioned Officer Academy at Keesler AFB, MS is named in his honor.<br /><br />The bridge on Truemper Drive crossing Military Highway at Lackland Air Force Base, TX is named in his honor.<br /><br />The USCIS Dallas District Office is named in his honor.<br /><br />The Mathies Coal Company in Pittsburgh, PA was named in his honor.<br /><br />Archibald Mathies' Medal of Honor is on display at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana.</i>juvathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09096708575138552532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-31828587790167020492016-02-22T05:11:10.523-08:002016-02-22T05:11:10.523-08:00Amazing story. How these non-pilots managed to nur...Amazing story. How these non-pilots managed to nurse this shot up bird back to England is something else. To get so close...<br /><br />They stayed with their pilot rather than save themselves.<br /><br />Greater love indeed.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-66469428895012199002016-02-22T04:26:18.972-08:002016-02-22T04:26:18.972-08:00When I was a kid, I got ensnared by the Military B...When I was a kid, I got ensnared by the Military Book Club. One of my "purchases" was a history of the B17. This story was in it. I remembered Sgt Mathies' face when I saw it. As I remember, there is a memorial to Sgt. Mathies' in his hometown that reads "Greater love hath no man than this, to lay down his life for his friends." <br /><br />My heroes have always been fighters. And he was one of each. STxARhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04588850178293194825noreply@blogger.com