2long,

My sincere condolences. I bet your dad was an outstanding person. I wish I had met him.

Was he in Europe or the Pacific theater? I ask because my uncle, who is also 88 this year was a pilot in the Pacific theater. Maybe they knew each other.

Also, 2long, Venus, Moon and Jupiter are all closing in on each other. I think conjunction is Sept 1. A metaphor for increasing closeness even after this time, perhaps.

With prayers,

My prayers and thoughts are with you.

Sorry for your loss.

Ap:

My dad was in the Pacific.

He was 2 be assigned 2 the torpedo squadron that lost all but one pilot during the battle of Midway, but was transfered the week before the battle 2 Widby Island. Then, 2 Dutch Harbor, Alaska, where I think he spent the remainder of the war.

He was missing 2 fingers of his left hand, and had been temporarily blinded after a crash landing on a carrier in rough seas. They said he'd never fly again, but he was back in the air within a 2ple months.

He never talked much about it, but we do have some photos of him and his squadron, including one in front of one of their Wildcats on the airstrip. I didn't even know how much had happened there until a few years ago when I was watching a program on Discovery Wings about the Army Air Corp in Alaska. They mentioned the Navy's involvement, but the program was mostly about the army pilots. The Japanese had set up air bases and seaports on a couple of the eastern Aleutian islands, and the pilots from Dutch Harbor had to fly something like 500 miles, often in bad weather, 2 engage them. My dad said they typically had less than about 15 minutes over their targets (which were often hard 2 see through cloud cover), before they had 2 2rn around so they'd have enough fuel for the re2rn flight. The Japanese attacked Dutch Harbor on at least one occasion, as well.

He loved flying, and always wanted 2 build his own airplane, but never did (raised 5 kids instead!!!).

-ol' 2long

I understand your dad's not wanting to talk about it much.

I have never been able to get my uncle to talk about his WWII flying experiences except in general terms. He was part of the air cover during landings for the island hopping all the way to Okinawa.

And my own dad was in the second wave on Iwo Jima. He wouldn't talk about it at all. Not even once.

I've noticed that the people in the thick of the fighting don't seem to have much if any war stories - unlike like those who were on the margins seem to.

We have a family friend that was a WWII pilot. Fascinating stories.

I'm so sorry for your loss 2long. You and your family will be in my prayers.

God bless,
Carol

We just got back from the memorial services last night.

I was wrong about some things. My sisters found a loan application for the last house my mom and dad bought 2gether that had a copy of his discharge papers attached.

Prior 2 his time in Dutch Harbor, he was on the Saratoga and the Yorktown. There isn't any detailed information on the discharge form, just places and ships he was stationed on, plus mention that he received 4 stars for service in the Asiatic Pacific, including Phillipine Liberation, and another star and ribbon that I'll have 2 look further in2 when I can.

We have none of his stars or other service awards, and as I said, he never really talked about the war much.

-ol' 2long

It's fun to find stuff like that.

I don't know what you are feeling now, never having been there yet. I hope it's not to uncomfortable.

I know all of us will make the same trip your dad made, none of us gets out of here alive, but it has to set you to thinking some days.

Wishing you a happy week.

SS

2Long,

I'm glad you've had a chance to find out more about your dad's war service.

My dad was in the navy too - was in the pacific. He was a "communications" guy - a.k.a. radio man, so not in the heaviest fighting as far as I know. He was in the phillipines after the Japanese were driven out, I think - for quite some time. He never would tell stories either - except just one or two - and nothing to do with combat.

It wasn't til after he died that I figured out that he joined the navy two days after Pearl was bombed. He was teaching school at the time, and the Navy let him finish out his contract and report to them in May.

-AD