The Pacific

[TigerPride]

Unbelievable photos Wild Bill.

Some of them very disturbing.

 

[SouthernSooner]

My granddad was a tailgunner in a B-25 Mitchell in the SW Pacific theater in the Army Air Corps. He flew 56 missions in New Guinea, Palau and the Philippines, surviving two crash landings, one on a Japanese-held island in the Philippines called Bushwanga where he and his crew escaped capture due to the aid of Filipino villagers who hid them and led them through the jungle to a beach where they spelled H-E-L-P in palm leaves. They were spotted by American planes and a boat was called in for them.

My granddad didn't speak about the war very often and many folks in Henryetta, OK, where he lived all his life, came up to me at his funeral in 2003 and told me they had no idea he had served in WWII, much less known he was a decorated veteran. Those guys just didn't talk about it much.

He did start telling me his stories late in his life and going through his war photos, diary, orders, etc. He was visiting me in Dallas in Fall 2001 and he hadn't seen Saving Private Ryan yet and he wanted to watch the movie. Although a vastly different theater than where he served, he really enjoyed the movie. I asked him if he ever had talked to any of his friends after the war and he said "No son. We were all just so glad to make it back alive, we didn't think about much of anything else." I asked him if he had any really good friends and he mentioned yes, his best friend was his pilot and was from Anson, Texas. They had the most in common culturally and they became good friends. He told me his name and I did a quick search on Alta Vista People Finder, which at the time was the best means to find someone and found a gentleman with the same name in Bracketville, TX. I asked him if he'd like to call and he said "Oh, I bet he's dead. Don't worry about it."

I called the number and a guy picked up. I said "Sir, I'm looking for a gentleman with the same name who was a B-25 pilot in the SW Pacific theater" and the voice at the end of the line said "You got him!" I asked him if he remembered my grandfather and he said "Sure I remember Tommy, he was one of my best buddies". I asked him, "Would you like to talk with him because he's sitting right here?" I handed the phone to my shocked grandfather and they talked for over two hours. The first time either had spoken in over 55 years.

Here's a photo of their crew on either Peleliu or Angar in Palau, early 1945. My grandfather is in far upper right and his pilot next to him:

First reunion of the two in March 2003 in Fredericksburg, TX:

A great experience for me.

 

[TigerPride]

Awesome Southern........Henryetta is a great little town.

 

[pasotex]

love the nose art

 

[l00p]

Fantastic, Southern. It's so great you got to to that for him and share in it. Thank you for your post.

 

[Majorhornfan]

Outstanding series as was BoB. Just finished it all the way thru today. I appreciate each and every one that contributed their real life stories while the series was going on.

And thank you to all the ones that have served and continue to serve this great country..