I wrote this in the comment section of the promotion article for this movie the other day. This series looks to be a good one.
I knew a B-17 pilot. He was a customer in the store I had worked in. As we were talking about this and that. Come to find out he was a WW-2 B-17 pilot.
Judging from this clip and what Irv. (Irving) told me. What these young pilots and crew members had to go through. I don't think words could describe the living hell they went through. (It was worse the that). He stated that the Germans really did not need radar. They could spot the bomber planes miles away due to the contrails they were leaving. When the flak started in, you knew right then and there you might not be coming back. I asked why he wanted to be a pilot. His answer was. I was the right height and I always wanted to fly and flew he did.
Then one day, Irv came into the store, and he had brought in his flight jacket to show me. It had aged well over the years. But his name rank and plane's name were faded. On the back of his jacket were bombs painted and they listed all the of the missions he had flown. As I was admiring the jacket, he said that if I wanted to, I could try it on. Yes, I did try it on. You talk about holding and wearing a piece of WW-2 history. It was a grand moment.
Irv and his wife had retired to Dana Point, CA. His wife's health was in declining. So, when he could not make it to the store, he would call in a grocery list and I would make the grocery run to his house after work.
Then the day came when Irv's wife took a turn for the worse. He came into the store with his son and said his goodbyes and that he would not be coming back to Ca. Irv and his wife spent what time they had left with his family and close friends.
To this day I think of them often.
RIP, My friend.
Topic: Masters Of The Air series (Read 1361 times)