Gianna'sPapa
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2008
- Messages
- 3,977
Two of the more violent crashes of the night!

Team Demo 0715 by Terry McGraw Photography, on Flickr

Team Demo 0791 by Terry McGraw Photography, on Flickr
Sometimes you have to hang in there tough to get the shot!

Team Demo 0781 by Terry McGraw Photography, on Flickr
Our frequent Anthem singer, Lauren Elizabeth, and genuinely nice person.

Team Demo 0657 by Terry McGraw Photography, on Flickr
Our military on display

IMGP8811 by Terry McGraw Photography, on Flickr

IMGP8882 by Terry McGraw Photography, on Flickr

Team Demo 0715 by Terry McGraw Photography, on Flickr

Team Demo 0791 by Terry McGraw Photography, on Flickr
Sometimes you have to hang in there tough to get the shot!

Team Demo 0781 by Terry McGraw Photography, on Flickr
Our frequent Anthem singer, Lauren Elizabeth, and genuinely nice person.

Team Demo 0657 by Terry McGraw Photography, on Flickr
Our military on display

IMGP8811 by Terry McGraw Photography, on Flickr

IMGP8882 by Terry McGraw Photography, on Flickr














), I read in the newspaper that the Collings Foundation had their B-17 and B-24 at local airport and were going to open them for tours. I immediately jumped in the car and drove over. Part of the back story, I grew up around naval aviation and was a Marine aviation electrician on F4B/J Phantoms back in the 60's. When I arrived, there were four older gentleman standing there. I struck up a conversation and learned they were all gunners on B17's (one was on B-17's and 24's) in WW II. Three were waist and the other ball turret gunner. Three were in the Eighth Air Force and the other was in Italy (I don't recall the unit, maybe the Fifteenth?). I had them alone for an hour and then they became volunteer tour guides. I spent hours with these gentlemen. It was one of the best days of my life. I learned more about the B-17 than I could ever learn from a book. I was completely fascinated with the stories. I started talking to the granddaughter of one and she explained that he had been shot down twice, The first, the entire crew survived, but in the second, he was the lone survivor. He was repatriated by the Yugoslavian partisans after being missing for a month. My thoughts, which I related to them was, "I have been to war (VietNam) and have been shot at, but I don't know if I have your courage to climb in this airplane and do what you did!" Their reply? "We didn't even think about the danger. We just looked at it like it was a big adventure." Incredible men!! To quote Tom Brokaw, "They really were the Greatest Generation"!

