http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,307252,00.html

The hero’s of WWII are becoming a rare breed as are the classic war birds of that era.

My dad flew P-51's in Europe during the war and there are fewer than 50 left from his squadron.

Of the 3900 B-29's produced, there is only 1 flyable example left. It is Fifi owned and flown by the Confederate Air Force in Midland, TX.

SKYBILL, Whatever your dads exploits in WWII, get them on tape!!!! even the mundane stuff.

My father used to share a story or two from time to time, but to a young kid they were just stories. I was a big WWII history buff growing up, and read everything, but my fathers stories were just bits and pieces. I never thought to get them on tape, and he died when I was 18. I'm sorry that all I have are a handful of photos taken in europe and a unit history that don't begin to tell the story of his experiences. NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TAKES GET HIS COMMENTS ON TAPE TO PRESERVE FOR THE AGES!!!!!!
Hats off to your father.

As an aside, some countries were still flying P-51s in their airforce as late as the mid 60s

What a great plane.

I hate that so much equipment was scrapped. Tacoma could have had the U.S.S. Hornet for FREE and passed. Where is that piece of history now?

I agree getting your parents or even your grandparents to share stories from their lives is an important part of their legacy.

My dad served in WWII. He has (or had) a trunk full of stuff that he rarely opened up. My dad didn't like talking about his wartime experience. I did learn more when my new wife at the time started asking questions but I have never felt from him that he wanted to share those experiences. So all we get are bits and peices too and I'm fine with that. We don't have anything from my dad on video or tape from his WWII days and frankly we don't need them.

However 5 years ago we celebrated my parents 50th wedding anniversary and we got them to talk about their lives and important moments for them. It's one of my prized DVD's.

In just a few weeks in will be the 1 year anniversary of my mother's death. The pictures, the audio and video we have of my parents is more precious now than ever. And it's always been treasured anyway.

Roger,

Hindsight is always 20/20 as they say. I wish I had the foresight to do exactly that.

Unfortunately dad died in 1992.

Chris, Dad didn't talk about it much either. He would if asked, but that was about it.

Fortunately, I have his scrapbooks with about 300-400 pictures, his pilot log book and about 20 mission reports.

When I was going thru some of that stuff, and found his log book, I Googled his fighter group/squadron and actually found his picture on one of the sites!

I emailed the guy that runs the site and asked him if he'd like me to scan the pictures and send them to him. Of course, he said yes and now a bunch of those pictures are on his site.

http://www.361fg.com/newphoto.htm See the link pictures at the bottom that say “Charlie Woods” and “Charlie Woods2”.

Also this site; http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/gallery.php?Group=361

Skybill-
My grandfather flew in WWI. He flew along the California/Mexican border as security. My dad saved a bunch of his pictures and other memories including the propeller from his by-plane, which I will have in my house someday. It's really cool.

Chris, Awesome!

I'm an airplane nut, especially the old warbirds.

I love anything to do with airplanes!

Edit add: One thing I do remember dad telling me was at the end of the war he could have bought his P-51D for $1500! Today you couldn't touch a P-51D in flyable shape for less than a million dollars!

Those old war surplus planes make for neat stories:

http://www.thebomber.com/History.asp

I remember my grandfather (who was a mechanic who flew occasional scout missions in Piper Cubs during World War II) taking me to the air show at Felts Field every year growing up. His face would just glow when amongst the old warbirds, he would let me get up in them ... it piqued the interest in history, especially that era and that war, that I have today.

That is neat stuff. Thanks for sharing, Skybill.

Skybill I'll assume you've been to the Evergreen Air Museum. (probably more than once) It's made for guy just like you. Vancouver has a nice air museum too. Small but very cool.

Chris, I’ve not actually been to the Evergreen Museum. I know. Bad on me! I've driven past it numerous times but have not had the opportunity to stop.

I am going to have to make a trip out there soon and go to the museum.

I have been to the one here in Vancouver and you're right. It's a nice little museum.

I've also been to the EAA Museum in Oshkosh. When we lived in Chicago, and St. Louis we'd go to the EAA Fly-In every year. It helps that my wife is from Green Bay so we'd stay there and drive down.

A couple of other great museums are the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and the Air Force Museum at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH. Although given the choice between the two, I like the Wright Patterson museum better!

Thanks for the reminder about Evergreen. I’ve got to go, and soon!

Wait till they get the new Space museum up and running then you can do both in the same trip. I bet they wind up with a space shuttle in it.

The hangar out in Tillamook is neat ... warbirds of all sorts of genres, and they fly a B-25 out of there too.

Thanks for the heads up on the EAA museum in Oshkosh. Next time we're visiting my wife's family in the U.P. I must make the drive down.

HA, I knew it. They are trying to get a shuttle. Here is an old but interesting article on it.
http://spacegrant.oregonstate.edu/documents/news/2006_12_09_Space_museum_launche d.pdf

Brian, if you go, go the last week of July/first week of August when they have the Fly-In going on.

http://www.eaa.org/

There are usually between 8000-12000 aircraft on the airport property. However, only about 2000 of them are on display!!!

For that week Oshkosh is the busiest airport in the world. It is 6-8 times busier than O’Hare! The FAA controller’s volunteer their time and vacation just to get a chance to work there!

It's way cool!

On another note, are you going to be at your Pizza restaurant at PDX on Wednesday? I have a flight to San Jose around noon so I’ll probably get to PDX about 10:30ish.

General Tibbots was a great pilot and officer, and everythiong I have heard about him said he was equally gracious in his post AF career.

The world is a much better place because he was in it!

My Dad survived WWII because of Tibbots. He was in the Phillipines on the way to invading Japan eventually.

For some excellent classic war bird photos and other stuff:

www.ghosts.com

I get one of their calendars for Christmas every year from my daughter!

It also just hit me that I am alive because of Tibbots, because my Dad would not have come home alive.

While the Mustang is a classic i've always liked the Corsair. But my favorite WWII plane is the P-38 Lightning. I remember watching a show on OPB "The Lost Squadron" where they dug one out from under the ice.

Edit add: Or, maybe it was the History Channel. I don't remember the channel but sure on the name of the show.

"Wait till they get the new Space museum up and running then you can do both in the same trip. I bet they wind up with a space shuttle in it."

I'm waiting for that too.

I've been to Evergreen and its a bit too military orienated for my tastes. However getting inside the belly of the Spruce Goose for a looksie was pretty cool.

The Seattle Air Muesuem is far more suited for my tastes. Oh, and they've just acquired a Connie and it'll be parked next to the original 747 on the tarmac up there.

The Pearson Park Museum was pretty neat. But somebody recently flew off with the DC3 that was on display outside.

And, oh, I saw the actual Enola Gay in Wash DC. Also, the only flying B-26 comes to our area from time to time -- based at the Aurora airport. About $350 for a ride.

Here's a Youtube video that I just received in email from one of the guys that is in the association that was from my dad's fighter group.

The video was done by a 15 year old girl. It's worth watching. Very well done!

http://www.youtube.com/swf/l.swf?video_id=ervaMPt4Ha0&eurl=&iurl=http%3A//img.yo utube.com/vi/ervaMPt4Ha0/default.jpg&t=OEgsToPDskLgxERW9yiHuUMkRMNOl6s8&autoplay =1&rel=1&border=0

http://www.homeofheroes.com/hallofheroes/1st_floor/wall/2living.html

While we're at it how about some medal of honors for the men and women who are police officers and firefighters, nurses and doctors and health care professionals.

Medal of honor for mom and dad. This goes for single parents too. Medals for those who choose to adopt.

Medals for those who volunteer everyday to help the homeless, poor , sexually and physically abused.

Medals for those who love the un-loveable and offer encouragement to the downtrodden.

Medals for those who work for peaceful ways to solve problems and disputes.

Medal of honor for our teachers, principles and educators.

A medal to those who put down their weapons and offer the hand of friendship.

Police depts have their own valor medal policies.

There has been only one equivelantMedal of Honor ever presented, that went to Gen Chuck Yeager.

You can only get a MOH for conduct in contact with enemy forces.

Nwokie-
You are missing my point entirely. I was speaking in metaphorical language trying to make my point. There are hero’s everyday, many don’t wear a military uniform.

The valor of our men in women in the military is no less valiant than those who deal with the everyday valor’s we don't sensationalize.

These men and women may not be taking enemy fire with real bullets (in some cases they actually are), but whose courage isn't measured in military terms. There is hero’s everyday right in our neighborhoods that go unnoticed. They neither seek nor receive attention they simply do the work that needs to be done.

My mother was such a hero. Because of the work she did, 6500 refugees found sponsorships that allowed them to legally live in the United States. Many of these refugees came from places like Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. My mother was responsible for finding them shelter and getting them started on their new life. Today those refugees’ children have taken the next step to improve not only their own lives but also other family members on the other side of the world.

My mom was understated. She simply got the work done. She also was a great mother and wife. Certainly deserving of a Medal of Honor. You want to talk about sacrifice and courage under fire? Cancer took the life of one of her own children. She survived childhood polio and being hit by a car, thyroid and breast cancer.

But ultimately she received the highest Medal of Honor but it's not one you can wear around your neck.

There are lots of other types of awards, Presidential medals of freedom , various state awards and local awards. The Congressional Medal of Honor, is unique it's given to military personel, who exhibit extrodinary levels of herosim. And over 2/3 of them die performing the act.

Nwokie-
Again you are missing my metaphorical point. So I will not bother trying to explain the canvas of colors I have painted since you seem to see things only in black and white.