Mustang owner reunited after 60 yrs with it's owner. P51 Mustang that is.
- Thread starter 550spydr
- Start date
My father was Dutch naval officer. He lost his ship and was captured after the Japs invaded the East Indies. He spent the rest of the war as a POW at the Kobe shipyards alongside American, British and Australian servicemen.
Despite the horrors of his incaceration there, with more than half dying, he never spoke ill about the Japanese. I asked him once about that and he told me the following.
After the surrender and freeing of the POW's, those who could marched out of the camps for the railway station. As they did so the local Japanese civilians silently stood by the roads just watching them. It was obvious to him they had also suffered. Then a small girl about 12 came out of the crowd, took his hand, nothing was said and together they walked to the station. My father said he looked at her and the poignant beauty of what was happening overcame him. All his anger and ill feeling towards the Japanese race just evaporated.
I too often think and appreciate the sacrifices our fathers and mothers made for us. They trully are of the "greatest generation".
Despite the horrors of his incaceration there, with more than half dying, he never spoke ill about the Japanese. I asked him once about that and he told me the following.
After the surrender and freeing of the POW's, those who could marched out of the camps for the railway station. As they did so the local Japanese civilians silently stood by the roads just watching them. It was obvious to him they had also suffered. Then a small girl about 12 came out of the crowd, took his hand, nothing was said and together they walked to the station. My father said he looked at her and the poignant beauty of what was happening overcame him. All his anger and ill feeling towards the Japanese race just evaporated.
I too often think and appreciate the sacrifices our fathers and mothers made for us. They trully are of the "greatest generation".
Charlie Farley
Supporter
Hi Cal,
Yes you are right. A Wellington.
They were coming back from Germany, over the North Sea and got ' bounced ' by a German night fighter. Dad says it came up from below them.
With the plane shot up, they managed to get it to Bruntingthorpe, which at the time was an emergency airfield. I remember him telling me that, as a crew, they had made a decision that they would never leave the pilot on his own. Thus all the crew stayed together . The hydraulic system failed and they could not get the wheels down. Just to add a ' twist ' there was also bomb ordnance still on board .
When they landed, he said they jumped out and ran like hell, before the whole plane blew up. As you can see from the photo, not much of the structure survived above the bomb bay. He's 87 this year and i'm happy to say, still has most of his facalties.
Yes you are right. A Wellington.
They were coming back from Germany, over the North Sea and got ' bounced ' by a German night fighter. Dad says it came up from below them.
With the plane shot up, they managed to get it to Bruntingthorpe, which at the time was an emergency airfield. I remember him telling me that, as a crew, they had made a decision that they would never leave the pilot on his own. Thus all the crew stayed together . The hydraulic system failed and they could not get the wheels down. Just to add a ' twist ' there was also bomb ordnance still on board .
When they landed, he said they jumped out and ran like hell, before the whole plane blew up. As you can see from the photo, not much of the structure survived above the bomb bay. He's 87 this year and i'm happy to say, still has most of his facalties.
Charlie Farley
Supporter
Does anyone have up todate info on the announced Bomber Command Memorial ?
I want to take my Dad to see it opened.
By the way, RAF Bomber Command suffered the highest rate of loss of any unit during WW2. They were given 8 days at the height of it.
Even higher than specialised units like the Marines, etc. God knows how he completed 48missions. You Americans went home after 28, our guys just had to do the 30 mission tour again !!!
I want to take my Dad to see it opened.
By the way, RAF Bomber Command suffered the highest rate of loss of any unit during WW2. They were given 8 days at the height of it.
Even higher than specialised units like the Marines, etc. God knows how he completed 48missions. You Americans went home after 28, our guys just had to do the 30 mission tour again !!!