Three weeks ago my my mom and dad took my Grandpa and Grandma to the air show at Mt. Comfort Airport where my Grandfather was scheduled to take a flight in the exact plane he flew in WWII. My mom had heard about the event through the media and she and her sisters thought it would be a wonderful experience to allow their dad to take flight almost 63 years later. My Grandpa, who was a first lieutenant, flew this plane in 19 different missions during the war. During one of his missions, he and his crew were bombing an oil refinery in Vienna, Austria, when they were viciously shot down and all members of his crew had to bail out over Hungary. My Grandpa was missing in action for a few weeks before he was rescued and sent back to a safe base. He was later rewarded with a Distinguished Flying Cross for the mission. The picture below shows my Grandpa holding all of his honorary medals while standing in front of the plane he was able to take flight in. There are only 2 of these B-24 Bomber planes left in the world today. The crew who took my Grandpa up said that in all of their years of traveling around the world and meeting men from the war, they had never met a pilot who had flew this plane. They were so honored to have met him that they allowed my mom and my Grandma to take flight along with my Grandpa. I know having his wife and daughter in flight with him meant the world to Grandpa. They were right up there in the flight deck reading all of the instruments that my Grandpa used during the war and reflecting on how he risked his life for our freedom so many years ago. I know this put great meaning behind many of the stories he has shared with our families throughout the years.
Over Labor Day weekend my moms sisters, Gail and Janet, and their husbands Rob and John came out to visit our families. They traveled from Ohio and Arizona. They joined in with my mom to help give Grandpa this opportunity of a lifetime. We look forward to the next time we all can get together again.
We are so proud of Grandpa and honored to know that he is a part of the freedom we have in America today. We love you Grandpa.
Over Labor Day weekend my moms sisters, Gail and Janet, and their husbands Rob and John came out to visit our families. They traveled from Ohio and Arizona. They joined in with my mom to help give Grandpa this opportunity of a lifetime. We look forward to the next time we all can get together again.Aunt Janet and Uncle John
Their Dog Suki
Aunt Gail and Uncle Rob w/ Tyson
(Sorry I couldn't get the picture any bigger than this)
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