The movie "Red Tails"

[dawg80]

My Dad told me once the Black Sheep mistook an incoming flight of B-29s as attacking Japs, and they were lining up to jump 'em. Of course, they would have recognized the bombers as friendlies and not fired on 'em, but it would have been embarrassing for the Sheep anyway. Fortunately, after repeated attempts, my Dad got a wing leader with the Sheep to reply and they broke off before they actually started their attacking run. About a week later, my Dad received a package in the mail...it was a bottle of whiskey with a note signed by Pappy Boyington himself thanking my Dad for keeping them out of a testy situation.

My Dad was a corporal in the Army Air Corps, and sent to the Pacific in late 1943 to set up and conduct radio operations. He was ordered to mainland China, near Singapore, but fear of Jap sub attacks caused his convoy to put into a base in the Solomon Islands. After a week or so, his Communication Company had their orders changed to operate there. That is how he ended up in the hottest spot in the Pacific.... the Slot!

I asked my Dad if he was ever in actual combat. Yeah, he said, but it was all one way....the Japs would shoot at them, and they would duck for cover. Sometimes Jap planes would make it thru and attack the base where my Dad was stationed. He just headed to the nearest bomb shelter. Did you ever shoot back, I asked him. Sure did, I would run to my radio and shout out on the Japs frequency, "You Gawd Damn Japs! Go to Hell!"

One of the Greatest Generation????

[DallasDog]

Thats an awesome story. My great grandfather was shot to hell on Guadalcanal and went back for more once he recovered. My grandfather finished A&M right towards the end of the war, didnt see any combat. Treated a lot of the pack animals they were using though lol

That generation operated on a whole different level than following generations.

[GonzoDawg]

My Dad told me once the Black Sheep mistook an incoming flight of B-29s as attacking Japs, and they were lining up to jump 'em. Of course, they would have recognized the bombers as friendlies and not fired on 'em, but it would have been embarrassing for the Sheep anyway. Fortunately, after repeated attempts, my Dad got a wing leader with the Sheep to reply and they broke off before they actually started their attacking run. About a week later, my Dad received a package in the mail...it was a bottle of whiskey with a note signed by Pappy Boyington himself thanking my Dad for keeping them out of a testy situation.

My Dad was a corporal in the Army Air Corps, and sent to the Pacific in late 1943 to set up and conduct radio operations. He was ordered to mainland China, near Singapore, but fear of Jap sub attacks caused his convoy to put into a base in the Solomon Islands. After a week or so, his Communication Company had their orders changed to operate there. That is how he ended up in the hottest spot in the Pacific.... the Slot!

I asked my Dad if he was ever in actual combat. Yeah, he said, but it was all one way....the Japs would shoot at them, and they would duck for cover. Sometimes Jap planes would make it thru and attack the base where my Dad was stationed. He just headed to the nearest bomb shelter. Did you ever shoot back, I asked him. Sure did, I would run to my radio and shout out on the Japs frequency, "You Gawd Damn Japs! Go to Hell!"

One of the Greatest Generation????

Man to me your Dad is a hero. I think the world of all our military but the men of his time were cut from a different cloth. Lots of balls and just did what they had to do. Not enough of them left around sadly. Thanks for sharing this story.

[hoppinmad]

Man to me your Dad is a hero. I think the world of all our military but the men of his time were cut from a different cloth. Lots of balls and just did what they had to do. Not enough of them left around sadly. Thanks for sharing this story.

+1

[dawg80]

Thanks.

He was such an easy going fellow, it's hard to picture him in any kind of combat situation. But, that pretty much sums up that whole generation. Regular guys....doing extraordinary things.

Again, thanks for the kind words.

[GonzoDawg]

Thanks.

He was such an easy going fellow, it's hard to picture him in any kind of combat situation. But, that pretty much sums up that whole generation. Regular guys....doing extraordinary things.

Again, thanks for the kind words.

You are welcome. I've had the pleasure of know a few of the men of that generation. My ex-grandfather in law lied about his age at 16 to join the Army. Fought in Italy under Patton. A man that lived in the town I grew up in what shot down over Germany and captured, walked around with shrapnel in his leg (enough to make every metal detector alert) until the day he died. My Great Uncle was a doctor in the Army. None of them ever talked too much about what they did and you would never know by looking at them, but word got around. I think of those men every time I stand and salute the flag, or hear the National Anthem. Without them we'd be hearing a different tune.