My Seabee Father-In-Law Flew West Today - Built Tinian
Sat Jun 11, 2011 9:13 pm
One of the greatest generation, my father in law passed away today after a short illness.
He lied about his age and joined the Seabees at 17 where he built the runways at Tinian and Saipan in the Pacific. After they finished the runways, the USAF 20th AF would take Seabees on missions over Japan as a sign of appreciation for their eff...orts. He flew some missions in the back of B-29s over Nagoya, Kobe and Tokyo.
One early morning he got up to see the Enola Gay rumble down one of the runways he built on its mission to Hiroshima. In addition, he spent some time in Nagasaki shortly after the war ended but he didn't talk much about what he saw.
I was very lucky to have Bob Jones as a father-in-law. I wish he could have been around one more year to get a ride in the CAF B-29...
A ihave a picture on my Facebook that was taken a few years back at Coshocton Ohio when Skipper and I did a show there with the P-51. Bob commented it was the first time he had seen a P-51 since WW2...
Fly west Bob....
He lied about his age and joined the Seabees at 17 where he built the runways at Tinian and Saipan in the Pacific. After they finished the runways, the USAF 20th AF would take Seabees on missions over Japan as a sign of appreciation for their eff...orts. He flew some missions in the back of B-29s over Nagoya, Kobe and Tokyo.
One early morning he got up to see the Enola Gay rumble down one of the runways he built on its mission to Hiroshima. In addition, he spent some time in Nagasaki shortly after the war ended but he didn't talk much about what he saw.
I was very lucky to have Bob Jones as a father-in-law. I wish he could have been around one more year to get a ride in the CAF B-29...
A ihave a picture on my Facebook that was taken a few years back at Coshocton Ohio when Skipper and I did a show there with the P-51. Bob commented it was the first time he had seen a P-51 since WW2...
Fly west Bob....
Re: My Seabee Father-In-Law Flew West Today - Built Tinian
Sat Jun 11, 2011 9:45 pm
I am so sorry to hear of your loss, hopefully you had a lot of times together and talked a lot. It will be a struggle for you and there wil be times you swear you just heard his voice.
Remember the good times and all the fun and laughs, lessons taught and learned, and silly stuff too, he's too busy right now figuring out how to build that next field with his buddies.
Remember the good times and all the fun and laughs, lessons taught and learned, and silly stuff too, he's too busy right now figuring out how to build that next field with his buddies.
Re: My Seabee Father-In-Law Flew West Today - Built Tinian
Sat Jun 11, 2011 11:57 pm
I'm sorry for your loss.
A seebee that built Tinian, neat, he must have been a tough, smart guy. I'm sure it wasn't an easy job.
We tend to focus on aircrews, but the passing of your father-in-law is a reminder that we need to remember the other folks that made air ops possible.
Of course the ground crews, but also everyone from the ubiquitous supply guys and cooks to the the Seebees and engineers that built the airfields in the first place. And let's not forget the shipyard workers who built the carriers.
As the saying goes "...alll gave some".
Again, i'm sorry for your loss.
A seebee that built Tinian, neat, he must have been a tough, smart guy. I'm sure it wasn't an easy job.
We tend to focus on aircrews, but the passing of your father-in-law is a reminder that we need to remember the other folks that made air ops possible.
Of course the ground crews, but also everyone from the ubiquitous supply guys and cooks to the the Seebees and engineers that built the airfields in the first place. And let's not forget the shipyard workers who built the carriers.
As the saying goes "...alll gave some".
Again, i'm sorry for your loss.
Re: My Seabee Father-In-Law Flew West Today - Built Tinian
Mon Jun 13, 2011 2:27 pm
All..thanks for the kind words...
Re: My Seabee Father-In-Law Flew West Today - Built Tinian
Mon Jun 13, 2011 3:42 pm
sorry to hear of your loss.
-B
-B
Re: My Seabee Father-In-Law Flew West Today - Built Tinian
Mon Jun 13, 2011 3:56 pm
Godspeed. I'm sorry for your loss.
I have been on the hunt for some Seabee's Memoirs to read. I always loved the movie The Fighting Seabees.
I have been on the hunt for some Seabee's Memoirs to read. I always loved the movie The Fighting Seabees.
Re: My Seabee Father-In-Law Flew West Today - Built Tinian
Mon Jun 13, 2011 4:34 pm
Sorry for your loss 
Re: My Seabee Father-In-Law Flew West Today - Built Tinian
Mon Jun 13, 2011 6:33 pm
they are leaving us at a rapid pace these days.enjoy the memories and remember we are now standing in that line to eternity