Memorial Day

B 25 C · **Joined:** Sun Feb 13, 2011 12:05 pm **Posts:** 166

On this day I want to thank all Veteran for there service and sacrifice.
Job well done!

fotobass · **Posted:** Mon May 28, 2012 7:42 am

Bill Mauldin Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoon, and I always think about this one on Memorial Day.

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Mon May 28, 2012 8:54 am

I spent yesterday at our town Parade with my buddy Russ Baril, a Staff Sargent from the 94th Bomb Group, riding in the left seat of "Woody", my 1945 CJ-2A. It was really beautiful to see people stand and clap for the veterans. Many were yelling out "thank you". Russ mentioned to me during the parade that he wished those guys that didn't make it were still here with him.

Russ Baril and Ed St. Martin ready for the parade. Ed is a Korean War Vet.

Our Group's Logo:

Russ wrote this in the 1950's. I though it was appropriate....

DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THE SEVEN HUNDRED AND
FIFTY- NINE COMBAT CREW PERSONNEL OF THE 410TH
BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON, 94TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP,
8TH AIR FORCE, WHO WERE KILLED IN ACTION IN WORLD WAR II,
MAY 1943 - MAY 1945

I make you this promise. I will not forget.

I will not forget the cold biting winter dawns and the hot sultry summer mornings as the huge planes lumbered from their havens of rest to the perimeter, and taxied to the runway and lined up like circus elephants ¬trunk to tail, waiting for the take off flares.

I will not forget the crews in their cumbersome gear attending briefing, and laboriously climbing into the trucks to take them to their stations.

I will never forget the calm, quiet and composed deportment of so many who hid their fear and apprehensions so masterfully, but went out day after day to do what they were called upon to do.

I will not forget the waiting….. the fields grew quiet with a melancholy blanket draped upon every building and every man who waited.

I will not forget the growing rumble in the distance as tiny specks appeared above the horizon, growing to a thunderous climax as the formations roared overhead - coming home.

I will never forget the blood red flares that spit from the planes that carried wounded aboard - I will never forget the limping forts, torn and broken, with huge jagged holes that let the blue sky show through.

I will not forget the counting - the men on the ground who waited at the hard stands for the planes that did not come home.

I will never forget the names and the numbers erased from the status board forever.

I will never forget the numb, dead feeling that pervaded the field like the dense English fog that often enshrouded it for hours and hours ….. until the next day and the next mission.

As I live out my years I will not forget all the days and nights and all the seasons you have missed - all the laughter and the sweet smell of life you have lost forever.

I will not forget and I will do all I can to insure that others, somehow, will not forget either.

This I owe you, as long as I live.
I make this promise. I will not forget.

REB 1956
____________________________________

Russell E. Baril, of Cheshire, CT, was in the 410TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON, 94TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP, 8TH AIR FORCE. As a Sergeant, he was assigned to 410th Bomb Squadron Operations Shack. He is a founding member of the Army Air Force Roundtable of Connecticut, and has made it his life long quest to never forget and to make others aware of the sacrifices made by those young men so long ago.

Misterg97 · **Posted:** Mon May 28, 2012 9:31 am

"Tears & Cheers" :drink3:

rwdfresno · **Posted:** Mon May 28, 2012 9:58 am

Jerry O'Neill wrote:

I spent yesterday at our town Parade with my buddy Russ Baril, a Staff Sargent from the 94th Bomb Group, riding in the left seat of "Woody", my 1945 CJ-2A. It was really beautiful to see people stand and clap for the veterans. Many were yelling out "thank you". Russ mentioned to me during the parade that he wished those guys that didn't make it were still here with him.

Really cool Jerry. A really good looking CJ-2A as well, is that an original paint job?

Ryan

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Mon May 28, 2012 7:00 pm

The CJ-2A is all original and one of only 1824 CJ-2A's built during 1945.
When I got it in 2001, it only had 27,000 miles on it and the original owner was still using it around his farm.
Jerry

seaknight15 · **Posted:** Tue May 29, 2012 7:59 pm

Did not have anything to do with a/c but me and my legion, pull up kare11and post 118. tx guys

Airlift48 · **Joined:** Sat Oct 29, 2005 7:01 pm **Posts:** 744

That's a really early CJ, there Jerry! Axe and Shovel indents still there! Basically a surplus MB!

I spent Saturday participating in the Hillsborough Memorial Day Parade with my passenger, a 90 Year old Walter Henry, who spent WWII as a crane operator at the Bengal Air Depot in India.

We had quite the turnout.

Monday was the Metuchen Memorial Day Parade (its 85th year), with my nephew and old friend who served in Iraq.

Warbird Information Exchange

Memorial Day

Who is online