Hours {Lif2018}

Hundreds of hours flying over the Pacific where some of the greatest battles of WW2 were fought.

Watery graves have passed under my wings so many times I have lost count.

My thoughts were interrupted by my flight attendant asking if I would like some fresh coffee.. That's life, no ?

The End at 50 words !

a reply to: 727Sky


Hmm, there are very few places we can go where others haven't been before.
I feel kind of the same when I am in Tewkesbury, I often think about the big battle there and wonder about whether I am walking on a patch of ground another took their last breath on

a reply to: SprocketUK

The the island chain of the Marianas Siapan, Tinian, Truk, Guam, and several other islands have a history of some of the most gruesome warfare known to have happened during WW2.. If the light is just right you can still see stuff that was sunk during the war..

Many go on diving expeditions around the islands to explore the wrecks.. and a few every year seem to not make it back to the dive boat...

a reply to: 727Sky


I can still see a stunning aerial photo in my mind's eye from a book I had as a kid showing the landings on Iwo Jima...all those ships, lc's etc leaving wakes in the blue of the sea. Was stunning. One of those things that never leaves you.

a reply to: 727Sky

Shut up shut up shut up

a reply to: SprocketUK
youtu.be...

a reply to: SprocketUK

After writing this I went to youtube and watched several hours of the history channels take on the war in the Pacific..I had not known the aircraft carrier that launched the Doolittle Raid called the Hornet was sunk during an engagement. That left one aircraft carrier in all the Pacific called the "ENTERPRISE".. To say we were both lucky and stupid in some of the battles is an understatement.

There was no mercy for the sailors or airmen at sea. One US aircrew was plucked out of the water (documented) after being shot down by the Japanese and after being beaten they had 50 pound shells tied to their feet and thrown over board.

The US just shot the Japanese crewmen in the water... Probably more merciful than being eaten alive by the sharks ?

WW2 in the Pacific became very personal for those who fought the battles..

I used to think I was born to late for I wanted to fly a P-38 in the Pacific or a P-51 in Europe during WW2.. I am glad I missed all that stuff after all.

Vietnam was never personal for me even though I spent 4 years in S.E. Asia.. I had no hate but I was not captured and beaten or worse regularly. Vietnam was some of the best flying you could find on the planet at the time so I was happy flying everything from helicopters to fixed wing aircraft...

I flew with some of the POWs at my airline who made it back from Nam.. They were glad to have survived and returned to the USA to say the least.