WWII enthusiasts

[Zel]

Any other WWII enthusiasts out there?

My father served in the US Navy in WWII, and I always was fascinated by his war stories. Since he passed away over a decade ago, I have become somewhat of a WWII enthusiast.

An old USAF fighter pilot friend of the family, who came over to the house for Easter dinner, told me about an event that happens ever year in a town less than 1 hour away from where I live. I must admit I was embarrassed not to have know about the event. He will be part of the B17 Flying Fortress crew that will be at Mid-Atlantic Air Museum's WORLD WAR II WEEKEND on June 5-6-7, 2009 in Reading, PA (USA). He said it has become the nations largest WWII Air event. He invited me as a guest to the event.

I was amazed at the list of guests that are scheduled to attend, meet and talk with the public, and sign autographs. Some of the historical notables scheduled to be there are:

John Alison - General, USAAF, fighter ace, CBI

Clarence E. "Bud" Anderson - Colonel, USAAF, triple ace, test pilot

Richard Cole - Lt Col, USAAF, Doolittle Raider, Plane #1 Co-Pilot

Thomas Griffin - - Major, USAAF, Doolittle Raider

Dutch Van Kirk - Major USAAF, 509th Composite Group, Navigator of the 'Enola Gay'

Jack Widowski - Major USAAF, B-29 Navigator - Atomic Missions

Hank Heim - Major, USAAF, B-17 Pilot and Pearl Harbor Survivor

Frank Speer - Captain, USAAF, 4th Fighter Group, P-51 Ace

Carl Constein - Lieutenant, USAAF Air Transport Command, Himalayas "Hump" C-46 and C-47 Pilot

Robert Fergueson - Lieutenant, UAAF, P-61 Black WIdow pilot

Evangeline Coeyman - Lieutenant, Army Nurse Corps, Concentration Camp Witness

Mike Kuryla - Coxswain Third Class, USN, U.S.S. Indianapolis Survivor

Paul Gordon - Tech Sergeant, USAAF, 92nd Bomb Group, B-17 Ball-Turret Gunner, POW

Roy Sherman - Sergeant, USA, POW guard

Bill Fili - Sergeant, USAAF, 450th Bomb Group, B-24 Engineer/ Top Turret Gunner, Ploesti Raid, POW

Larry O'Rourke - Sergeant, USA, Manhattan Project

Vernard Brinzehofe - Corporal, USMC, veteran of Guadalcanal, Coral Sea, Saipan, and Iwo Jima

Jack Colby - Corporal, USMC, veteran of Marshall Islands, Saipan, and Tinian

James White - PFC, USMC, Iwo Jima

Also attending will be eight members of Co E, 506 PIR, 101st Airborne Division, who inspired the movie "Band of Brothers".

And four members of the "Filthy Thirteen", the demolitions platoon of HQ / 506th PIR, 101st Airborne Division whose story inspired the movie "The Dirty Dozen."

I have to go now, not just for a chance to ride in the B-17G Flying Fortress "Yankee Lady, but the chance to meet and talk to living legends of WWII... before they are all gone.

http://www.maam.org/maamwwii.html

[firefightn15]

Wow, what an impressive list of people to be able to mingle with.  I can only imagine the stories that will be told. I'm jealous of anyone able to attend.  I have a few WW2 survivors in my area, and one specific guy was in the 3rd army during the Battle of the Bulge.  Learned alot from him on what it was really like to be there.

Have fun Zel 8-)

[atx_newbie]

I was raised by the History Channel's WW2 programming, so I have always tried to learn as much as I could about military history.

Both my grandfathers fought in the war.  My dad's dad was a navigator on B-17s flying out of England in 1943, but he died a couple years before I was born so I never got to talk to him about it.

Mom's dad was a mechanic on P-38s and P-40s in Australia, New Guinea, and other various islands of the Pacific.  He always talked about his bout with malaria and being 6'4" and weighing only about 130 lbs by the time he got over the disease.

[Mike 12345]

I have always been a WWII enthusiast---  although the word 'enthusiast' really is a poor word for a war......

but I find the War and the history surrounding it to be absolutely fascinating.

You should have a great time at the event, and enjoy talking to those guys-  there are fewer left every day.  I hope you remember and pass on as much as much of their story as you can.

I just lost my grandfather about 8 months ago-  he was a radioman on an LST (Landing Ship Tank) transport in the US Navy in the Pacific, and talked to me and my brother about his involvement in battles such as Tarawa and Leyte Gulf.

Scary stories, but fascinating to hear.

[fishfordollars]

Zel, you are a lucky man. My father was in the Navy during the war and my uncle flew over England and Germany in a Fortress. I served, but it was in the ugly war. You know, the one everyone hates, and says we lost.  

[Glenn]

I've been a WWII history buff since my teens.  I read a book about the battle of the Bismark and was hooked ever since.  

Looks like you have a great opportunity to meet and speak with some of the people who played integral roles in the Allies' victory.  I'm envious.

Oddly enough, I haven't had the chance to speak to anyone in-depth who was in the armed forces during that time.  Stranger still, I once knew a man who was in the Hitler Youth back then.  Although he didn't fully agree with Hitler and his ideologies back then, I got an interesting perspective of the war from the other side (the political rhetoric, the daily bombings, watching his country crumble, etc.).

[Catt]

That's cool my Dad was in the Navy Seabees and my Father-in-law was an Army Air Corp Reconnaissance Photographer.

[Micro]

I'm an amateur WWII aviation historian.  I love the subject.  I have a pretty big library of aviation related books, some signed.  Books signed by Joe Foss (highest scoring USMC ace) and Tex Hill (Flying Tigers) highlight my collection.  

Sounds like you're going to have a good time.  I'd love to chat it up with a P-61 pilot.  

[Hoover]

Glad you brought this up Zel.  My father was a 2nd Lieutenant in command of an air/sea rescue boat -- much like a PT boat.  He never spoke much about the war until just before his last stroke.  He passed away over 8 years ago.  He did speak of Tarawa and how awful that beach head was.

I am always in awe of our fathers and mothers who served in WWII.  What great accomplishments they made serving with honor.  I not only miss my father but all of the great men and women who sacrificed during WWII in all theaters of combat.  My hat is off to all of them.

[GLADES]

WWII is an interest of mine. My great uncle served in the south pacific during WWII. He used to tell us great war stories and stories of everyday life in Tinian fueling long range bombers.

One story was about how the crew scored some heavy cream or milk, filled up some empty paint cans, and attached it to the landing gear of the B29 bombers. When the planes returned, they ate ice cream with the crews.

[Catt]

I had the honor of meeting Alvin M. "Tex" Johnston before he passed away; Tex Johnston is best known for barrel rolling the Boeing model 367-80 (better known as the Dash-80, the prototype of the KC-135 Stratotanker. Called before Boeing president Bill Allen, Johnston was asked what he meant in rolling the airplane. "Selling your airplane" was his response.

[RAINCLOUD36]

:)I was fortunate to be in Washington, D.C for the dedication of the WW2 Memeorial. It was awsome to be surrounded by all those HEROS.  

The town of Gainsville,Texas just north of Dallas has a Medal of Honor parade every year which is not publisized. It is the only parade of this kind in the country. I found out about it because one the the people I was with in Viet Nam takes part in it. I'm planning to be there next year.

[Copen1822]

I served, but it was in the ugly war. You know, the one everyone hates, and says we lost.

I don't feel that way at all fishfordollars. Thank you for your service!!