Dad's stories: his flying years

[elainegrey]

These are notes: at some point, i should sit down with Dad and get the details all correct.



Details do not stick in my mind. I can't tell my own stories with the level of detail he remembers.

* Rank?
* Plane type flown?
* Bases?


Last night he told the story how his job was to check the jet and propeller engines after take off. Flying from Florida to Maine. Looked out, saw the thin pencil-lead line of oil against the sky. Had a date in Maine which he was going to miss if they went back. Called up to the front and asked, "Can we maintain altitude with just one engine?" Pilot responded with an affirmative, but it wouldn't be safe. Dad ponders. Pilot calls back, "Why are you asking?" but more colorfully.

Turned around, never saw the girl again.


There was some "hitchiking story" where he got left on a base around Brunswick GA that had hig security and he ... got kicked off? Need that again.

And a story about townies in Maine trying to run them off the road and his one solid blow to the guy hauling him out of the car.

Comments

[tamena]

my father has recently been telling stories from his childhood - like the fact that he had a pet RACOON! and when he went to college my Grandmom took care of "Snoopy" and would walk him on a leash around the neighborhood. WHY?? Why did he not tell me these things earlier in life? I would have loved to ask my Grandmom about this kind of stuff. I had no idea and now every time we're together i push for more stories. His youngest brother died this past year (my favorite uncle) and I wish I'd known more to ask him about too cause he would have ratted my dad out in a heartbeat!
Keep digging,

[elainegrey]

Our Dad is a natural story teller, so i've heard so many and forgotten so many -- i realize i really need to start collecting them and intentionally recording them.

On the other hand, there are other stories he hasn't told, and we never spent much time with his stepsisters. I heard a little this summer when i was down to take care of my grandmother. I hope to visit family down there when it's not so worrisome....

[tamena]

Mine is a story teller now, we weren't close when I was younger (divorce is so much fun!) and have only really reconnected in the past 10 years. There are so many things I had no idea about and am learning now - and a big one is the affinity to animals is genetic in my case LOL

[amaebi]

I loved reading these!

And just your subject line gave a weird gift.

My father was a storyteller, but he died suddenly when I was fifteen. There are so many bits of things he would say or that I know as data that I hadn't really thought about yet, or that I was still masticating in my slow way, and so hadn't asked about when he died, and now think about. Your subject line suddenly made me realize something I'd never thought of at all. When he was flown to the Pacifc front in the Second World War as technical sergeant of a signal corps, it was probably in one of those bare big-bellied planes, and almost certainly his first airplane flight. He, this big strong former farm boy and more recent factory hand.

How strange it must have been to him.

(Another thing I have thought about a good deal: I think it was a peculiar difficulty to him to be constantly jammed up with other soldiers during the war. He was devoted to diverse community, but he was also innately kind of a loner.)

[elainegrey]

I look forward to sharing his stories -- somehow -- and thank you for sharing your memories.