And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
The F4U is one of the most iconic aircraft of WWII, one that ceded nothing to the P-51 in a dogfight.
My wife's father flew the F4U. He survived a cockpit fuel leak fire and bailed out over El Toro in the late 40s. He met my wife's mother, a Navy nurse, while recovering from his burns in a Navy hospital.
I could be wrong, but I believe that I have heard/read that the F4U was the only World War II fighter that was produced into the 1950s. Of course, by then, with all of the advances in aviation, its primary mission was in the ground support role.
I wish I could find it, but in the past few years someone posted a story on the internet about an F4U pilot who was leading a strike early in the Korean War.
On the return leg, he was advised that an Army commander was requesting a flyover of his camp. The F4U pilot diverted and, along with the other F4Us, screamed over the Army camp at high speed and low altitude. The effort was simple: to convey to those men on the ground the message, "Stand strong, boys. America is here and is striking back."
If you've never read the story of Jesse LeRoy Brown and Medal of Honor recipient Thomas J. Hudner Jr. you should. http://www.ericksoncollection.com/aircraft#/chance-vought-f4u-7-corsair/
I've had the honor of meeting Capt Hudner a few times, as he was friends with the pastor of a church I attended in MA. In his telling of the story, Captain Hudner was certain he was facing court martial for the loss of his aircraft.
The Ensign Eliminator....one of my favorites from WWII....
ReplyDeleteOne of the best and most beautiful A/C of WWII. Still good enough to fight in Korea when most of its' WWII contemporaries had been parked.
ReplyDeleteThe F4U is one of the most iconic aircraft of WWII, one that ceded nothing to the P-51 in a dogfight.
ReplyDeleteMy wife's father flew the F4U. He survived a cockpit fuel leak fire and bailed out over El Toro in the late 40s. He met my wife's mother, a Navy nurse, while recovering from his burns in a Navy hospital.
I could be wrong, but I believe that I have heard/read that the F4U was the only World War II fighter that was produced into the 1950s. Of course, by then, with all of the advances in aviation, its primary mission was in the ground support role.
I wish I could find it, but in the past few years someone posted a story on the internet about an F4U pilot who was leading a strike early in the Korean War.
On the return leg, he was advised that an Army commander was requesting a flyover of his camp. The F4U pilot diverted and, along with the other F4Us, screamed over the Army camp at high speed and low altitude. The effort was simple: to convey to those men on the ground the message, "Stand strong, boys. America is here and is striking back."
The F4U was not only an iconic WW2 plane but it also served the USMC quite effectively in Korea as well. God bless the USMC Air Wing!!!
ReplyDeleteIf you've never read the story of Jesse LeRoy Brown and Medal of Honor recipient Thomas J. Hudner Jr. you should.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ericksoncollection.com/aircraft#/chance-vought-f4u-7-corsair/
I've had the honor of meeting Capt Hudner a few times, as he was friends with the pastor of a church I attended in MA. In his telling of the story, Captain Hudner was certain he was facing court martial for the loss of his aircraft.
ReplyDeleteThe USN named a DDG after him.
Wait...what's that? I hear some music in the background...
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pvzA6-tSqE