Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Heroes. Not To Be Confused With The Modern Version

So my 85 year-old step dad was talking.
He doesn't talk much. Not about the war.
But he was talking.
He was flying a four-engine heavy back in 1944 on a raid over Germany.
The plane was hit by a night-fighter and the undercarriage was wrecked.
He took it down to the deck and tried to fly under radar all the way home.
They were hit by a second fighter over Holland.
The wireless-op caught it in the face and had to be strapped in a bunk so he didn't fall out the hole.
The tail-end gunner also got hit and wsa strapped in a bunk.
Step-Dad(the pilot) was hit in the head and right hand, and was bleeding.
All the navigational instruments were shot out, but the navigator was a genius and got them back to Lincoln, crossing the North Sea at wavetop height.
Step dad got on the radio to home base.
They told him to head out to sea and ditch.
He refused.
He belly-landed on the home base.
They all survived.
The radio-op was in hospital for 8 months.Step dad got the DFC. The navigator got the DFM, on his recommendation.

That is what a real hero is.
British Airways?
Just doing their bloody jobs.

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