Another RR life story.... Ya'll know that I sometimes tell a story on the Porch about some family event or something I've seen in life that you might find worthwhile. I have another one I'd like to tell.
I have mentioned numerous stories about my Dad, you might recall. I've mentioned before that he served in WWII and flew B-17 bomber missions over Germany. Ya'll also have probably sensed that our family is very patriotic. We are a family that still stands up when the American Flag goes by in a parade, while others around us sit on their butts. In fact, their is an American Flag flying out in front of our house even though we live a quarter of a mile off the road down the driveway and nobody can see it.
Anyway, I have two boys, ages 16 and 13. It has been difficult to teach them to make sure they appreciate our heritage, about war, and stuff like that. I guess that I see so many young people today that act like they don't care. I have told them stories about my Dad, their grandfather, over the years. My Dad died before the boys were born. I'm always pointing out B-17's, for example, on the TV History channel, and telling the boys that is what their granddad flew in during the war. I'd try to talk to them a bit about things like that and wasn't ever sure it really sunk in that much.
Then we read last weekend that a B-17 bomber was coming to town this weekend. It is an exhibit that flies around the nation. I thought it would be good to have the boys see it. I wanted to see it too, and see first hand what the insides looked like and all. I called Holly before I left work yesterday and told her to get the boys and meet me at the airport to tour the plane. She thought it was a great idea as well.
We met at a small airstrip north of the city. They had it on display all by itself in a remote part of this municipal airport. Nothing else around it. It was quite a sight to see driving up to it. They had a large American flag flying out of the pilots' cockpit.
They had tents set up with exhibits about the B-17's and this one in particular. They had statistics about these planes, the missions they flew, the huge casualty rate they had, etc. There were a few veterans around it. Looked to be my Dad's age. I'm sure a lot of stories were told among them.
They had a table set up in front of the plane with some literature about it. I gave them a donation and asked if I could take my boys up in the plane to see, that this is what their granddad flew in the war.
We climbed in and took a tour. We got to see everything inside. I could not begin to describe what it felt like, or what it looked like. I guess that I was struck by my emotions in thinking of my Dad, and what those men had to go through over there. It was really something. They had it restored nicely, guns and all. We talked about what each crewman did, what their granddad did in the plane, where he would have sat, etc. We talked about the horror of war.
When we exited the plane, we stopped by another exhibit. It had an old picture of the crew standing in front of the that particular plane. My 16 year old, who never shows emotions unless he wants something, was standing there looking at it with me when he put his hand on my shoulder, sort of gave me a squeeze, and said, "Dad, that was really something." He didn't have to say anything more. I knew what he was getting at.
A few minutes later when we left, I was walking with my 13 year old and sort of looking back over my shoulder one last time and commenting that they had now seen what their granddad had to endure in the war. He put his arm around my waist and said, "So, that is what Grandpa flew in the war." Then there was a pause, and he said, "I sure am proud of him and what he did for us."
I had a hard time holding back the tears. But my boys' actions told me that maybe all those lectures about America, our heritage, their granddad and standing up at parades for our Flag when nobody else does, sunk in after all.........
Have a great weekend all. Beautiful day here, beautiful. We have so much to be thankful for don't we.
Rick |
