2011 Memorial Day Orem, UT
Wilbur A. Drake
"It was September 1, 1939. We were threshing grain and it was the most beautiful fall day of memory. My job was to pitch the bundles up on the horse drawn wagon. When the wagon was full, we drove the wagon to the thresher and I pitched the bundles into the threshing machine. Dad was bagging the grain. Mr. William P. Jordan owned the thresher and would take it from farm to farm. William Jordan's mother was a cousin to my dad's mother. Mr. Jordan said, "Well, do you think they'll fight?" I told him, "Yes, they've already started!" He took his hat off, slapped it against his leg and said, " 'Pon my soul to God! I didn't think they would do it."
I was excited about the prospects of getting into the Air Force and becoming an Ace. Of course I was only fifteen at the time, but that did not dampen my enthusiasm. I feasted on the war news and learned the names of "Aces" on both the English and German sides. I could hardly wait to get involved in the war. I considered stretching my age a bit and joining the Canadian Air Force but I did not look the part and had too few flying hours to succeed. Several men did do just that and paid with their lives. It was not until my eighteenth birthday that I submitted my application to volunteer for the USAF. When I had my my application completed, I needed my parents permission. I located my Father, working in the barn and requested his signature. He tried to talk me out of it but I insisted. I turned a potato barrel upside down, plunked the application on it and said: "Hurry, the school bus is waiting and if I miss it I will have to walk and will be late for school". If he had not signed it, I already planned to have a friend forge his signature.
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| 19 year old Bill Drake at Grove City College |
A young boy, fresh off the farm in Northern Maine, Bill began his military career marching on the famous Boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In inclement weather, they did their marching in the Hadden Hall Convention Center. Most of this group were from Maine, and as they marched, they sang the "Maine Stein Song", "Yellow Ribbon" and others. Bill remembers marching to music lead by the famous Glenn Miller who had also joined the military service. They were staying at the Ritz Carlton Hotel -- the surroundings were pretty ritzy --- but they removed all the beds and replaced them with triple decked military style bunks. Bill told of when he was walking downtown, and stopped to get some breakfast. He ordered pancakes. On the table was a pitcher of what appeared to be maple syrup... very familiar sight to a boy from Maine. When the pancakes came, he was hungry, and liberally poured on the syrup. He took a bite, and immediately realized his mistake... he had walked into a Chinese Restraunt, and the syrup was soy sauce. Hard as it must have been, he ate every bite and tried to appear as though he enjoyed it.
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| Young and Handsome Lt. Drake |
Their first bombing assignment was dropping bombs filled with flour near Casper, Wyoming. He said they dropped more bombs on Wyoming than they ever did in Germany. The flour was so they could see how close they were to the target. He must have caused some excitement with the Wyoming girls, but he tells me he was pretty focused on his work... and anxious to get in the war. Ah, the innocence of youth.
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| Lt. W.A. Drake "Under the Guns" "Pilot in Command" B-24 Liberator Stationed: Grottaglie Italy WWII This photo appeared in many magazines to advertise the process of making a large portrait from a small photo |
Bill was one of the replacements following the horrific low-altitude bombing operation over Ploesti Oil Fields, August 1943. He tells of when he first arrived at the base in Grottaglie, Italy. He got in a jeep to be taken to the air field to meet the crew. They were all lined up and ready for their new pilot in command. As he got out of the jeep, he tried hard to appear older and more mature than his 20 years. A seasoned First Sargent facing the crew, began to turn around with his hand up in the appropriate salute... when his mouth dropped, and eyes wide... he viewed the new pilot... and exclaimed, "My God, do we salute him, or burp him!?" Even though he was the youngest on the crew, he was called the "Old Man". Bill had his 21st birthday on the ship coming home from the war.
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| Major Wilbur A. Drake U.S. Air Force Vetran of Three Wars WWII, Korea, and Viet Nam Career totaling more than 4.5 Million Air Miles
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2011 MEMORIAL DAY ADDRESS
THE SOUND OF TAPS BEING PLAYED IS A HEART RENDERING EXPERIENCE. IN MY NEARLY 30 YEARS IN THE AIR FORCE AND SERVING IN THREE WARS, I HAVE HEARD IT ALL TOO OFTEN. IT BRINGS TEARS TO MY EYES AS I REMEMBER MY FALLEN FRIENDS IN WHOSE HONOR IT WAS PLAYED.
WE ARE GATHERED IN THESE BEAUTIFUL AND PEACEFUL SURROUNDINGS, DUE IN LARGE PART TO THE VETERANS WE HONOR TODAY. IT WAS THEIR DEDICATION, DEVOTION AND SACRAFICE THAT MAKES THIS GATHERING POSSIBLE
MEMORIAL DAY IS A TIME TO REFLECT ON THE PAST, TAKE STOCK OF THE PRESENT, AND RENEW OUR COMMITMENT TO THE FUTURE OF AMERICA. IT BEGAN AS A TRIBUTE TO THE CIVIL WAR VETERANS WHO SECURED THE PEACE AFTER A FOUR YEAR STRUGGLE. INITIALLY, IT WAS A TRIBUTE TO THE FLLEN SOLDIERS ONLY. IT WAS LATER EXPANDED TO INCLUDE ALL WHO SERVED, LIVING OR DEAD.
BECAUSE OUR RICH HERITAGE IS A RESULT OF OUR FAMILIES, NEIGHBORS, TEACHERS,AND FRIENDS WHO INSTILLED IN US THE WORK ETHIC AND OUR VALUE SYSTEM, IT IS MOST FITTING THAT THEY TOO BE INCLUDED IN THESE MEMORIAL DAY PROCEEDINGS.
WE ARE SURROUNDED IN THIS ATTRACTIVE SETTING BY MONUMENTS OF MARBLE AND STONES, TO HONOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO OUR SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS.
NO MONUMENT CAN REPLACE THE CHERISHED MEMORIES WE HOLD SO DEAR OF OUR PROGENITORS. IF WE STAND ALITTLE TALLER, IT IS BECAUSE WE STAND ON THEIR SHOULDERS.
AS PART OF MY COMMENTS TODAY, I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO SHARE A FEW OF MY EXPERIENCES DURING WORLD WAR TWO. IT IS AN AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY TO REPRESENT OVER TEN MILLION INDIVIDUALS WHO FOUGHT OR DIED THAT OTHERS MIGHT LIVE. NEARLY HALF A MILLION OF OUR MEN DIED IN THAT CONFLICT.
I WAS A PILOT ON A 4-ENGINE BOMBER IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS. HOWEVER, IT TOOK ALL OF THE SERVICES WORKING IN HARMONY TO COMPLETE THE AWESOME TASK AHEAD OF US.
NO DOUBT MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN MOVIES OF WORLD TWO PORTRAYED BY MIDDLE AGED, SEASONED ACTORS LIKE JOHN WAYNE. THE TRUTH IS THAT WE WERE JUST BARELY PAST BOY SCOUT AGE. I JOINED THE AIR FORCE RIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, AND GRADUATED FROM PILOT TRAINING AT THE AGE OF 19. I WAS JUST BARELY 20 YEARS OF AGE WHEN I ARRIVED IN ITALY TO BEGIN FLYING COMBAT MISSIONS OVER GERMANY. I HAD MY 21ST BIRTHDAY ON THE BOAT COMING HOME FROM THE WAR.
OUR LIVING CONDITIONS WERE VERY PRIMITIVE. WE LIVED IN UNHEATED TENTS, SLEPT ON HARD FOLDING COTS, AND SUBSISTED ON POWDERED MILK, POWDERED EGGS, SPAM, AND OTHER UNRECOGNIZABLE CONCOCTIONS. WE REFERRED TO THEM AS UFO’S. (UNIDENTIFIED FRYING OBJETS)
THERE WAS LITTLE TO DO ON DAYS WHEN YOU WERE NOT FLYING A MISSION. READING, PLAYING CARDS OR JUST VISITING AND RETELLING THE EXPLOITS OF THE LAST MISSIONS OCCUPIED OUR DAYS. A FEW DAYS WERE NEEDED TO RECUPERATE FROM THE GRUELLING MISSIONS.
TOMORROWS MISSION ASSIGNMENSTS WERE POSTED ON THE BULLETIN BOARD. IT FELT LIKE A DEATH SENTENCE.
WE DID NOT KNOW WHERE WE WERE GOING UNTIL BRIEFING THE NEXT DAY. ALL JOKING AND LEVITY CEASED. SEVERAL MEN WROTE FAREWELL LETTERS TO THEIR FAMILIES AND LEFT THEM WITH FRIENDS TO BE MAILED IF THEY DID NOT RETURN.
TO FULFILL OUR COMMITMENT, WE WERE REQUIRED TO FLY 25 MISSIONS. IT WAS STATISTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SURVIVE THAT MANY. SOME WERE SHOT DOWN ON THEIR FIRST MISSION, OTHERS COMPLETED THEIR QUOTA OF 25. IT WAS SEVERAL MONTHS INTO THE WAR WHEN THE CREW OF THE MEMPHIS BELLE BECAME THE FIRST CREW TO COMPLETE ALL 25 MISSIONS AND RETURN HOME.
ON THE DAY OF OUR MISSION, WE WERE AWAKENED AT 0400 HRS (AS IF ANYBODY SLEPT). BRIEFING INCLUDED TARGET INFORMATION, WEATHER BRIEFING AND MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION PERTINENT TO THE MISSION. CREWS MET WITH THE CHAPLAINS FOR A PRAYER.
THE MAINTENANCE CREWS HAD WORKED ALL NIGHT TO PREPARE THE PLANES FOR FLIGHT AND WERE GLAD TO SEE US DEPART SO THEY COULD GO BACK TO BED FOR SOME WELL DESERVED REST.
AFTER A ROUTINE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, ALL CREW MEMBERS ASSUMED THEIR ASSIGNED CREW POSITION. RADIOS WERE USED SPARINGLY SO AS NOT TO GIVE OUR POSITION AND DEPARTURE TIME TO THE ENEMY. ALL TIMES, SUCH AS START ENGINES, TAXI TIMES, ETC. WERE ASSIGNED AT BRIEFING. LIGHT SIGNALS WERE USED TO CONTROL GROUND TRAFFIC.
NUMEROUS BASES IN CLOSE PROXIMITY PROVIDED SEVERAL HUNDRED AIRCRAFT FOR EACH MISSION. INITIALLY, ABOUT 300 PLANES PERFORMED A TYPICAL MISSION. LATER IN THE WAR, AS MANY S 1000 PLANES FILLED THE SKIES ON EACH MISSION.
TAKE OFF WAS A FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE BECAUSE OF A HEAVY BOMB LOAD AND SEVERAL THOUSAND GALLONS OF GAS. IT WAS A STRUGGLE TO GET THOSE HEAV AIRCRAFT AIRBORNE AND OCCASSIONALLY ONE WOULD FAIL TO GET AIRBORNE, OVERSHOOT THE RUNWAY, CRASH AND BURN. THOSE WERE QUITE FEW HOWEVER.
CLIMB OUT WAS FAIRLY ROUTINE. WE FORMED UP IN CLOSE FORMATION AND CLIMBED TO ABOUT 25,000 FEET. A TYPICAL MISSION LASTED FROM EIGHT TO TEN HOURS. BY THE TIME YOU ARRIVED OVER THE TARGET AND DROPPED THE BOMBS, YOU HAD BURNED 2/3 OF THE GASOLINE. HOWEVER, IT TOOK MUCH LESS GAS TO RETIURN DUE TO A MUCH LIGHTER LOAD AND A GRADUAL DESCENT.
OXYGEN WAS REQUIRED ABOVE 10,000FEET. THE MASKS WERE UNCOMFORTABLE AND IT WAS PLEASANT TO REMOVE THEM ON DESCENT.
AS SOON AS WE ENTERED ENEMY TERRITORY, WE WERE MET BY ENEMY FIGHTER AIRCRAFT WHO ATTACKED US RELENTLESSLY. WE ALWAYS LOST A FEW AIRCRAFT ON THE WAY TO THE TARGET.
OF COURSE WE HAD OUR OWN FIGHTER ESCORT WHO HELPED SAVE US FROM ANNIHIALATION. TEN MACHINE GUNS ON EACH OF OUR AIRPLANES HELPED DISCOURAGE ENEMY FIGHTER PILOTS FROM RECKLESS ENGAGEMENT.
AS WE APPROACHED THE TARGET AREA, THE ENEMY ANTI-AIRCRAFT SHELLS WERE GOING OFF LIKE POP CORN. WE HAD TO FLY TIGHT FORMATION TO ENSURE A GOOD BOMB PATTERN. WE COULD TAKE NO EVASIVE ACTION. FLAK WAS HEAVIEST OVER THE TARGET AND WE FLEW RIGHT INTO THE HEAVIEST ACCUMULATION AS WE APPROACHED THE TARGET.
WE ALL TOOK MANY HITS AND IT WAS NOT UNUSUAL TO COUNT NUMEROUS HOLES IN THE AIRCRAFT UPON RETURNING TO BASE. SOMETIMES THERE WERE A FEW HUNDRED HOLES.
SOME AIRPLANES WOULD TAKE A DIRECT HIT AND BLOW UP, SPILLING CREW MEMBERS INTO THE AIR WHERE THE TEMPERATURE WAS MINUS 60 DEGREES. VERY FEW SURVIVED.
IT WAS A GUT WRENCHING EXPERIENCE TO BE FLYING TIGHT FORMATION AND BE LOOKING AT THE PILOT ON WHOSE WING YOU WERE FLYING, AND THE NEXT MINUTE SEE HIM EITHER EXPLODE OR CATCH FIRE. SCRAMBLING TO BAIL OUT OF A BURNING OR TUMBLING AIRPLANE BECAME VERY DIFFICULT AND MANY NEVER MADE IT.
EARLY IN THE WAR OUR LOSSES WERE EXTREMELY HEAVY. ON SOME MISSIONS OUR FORCES LOST OVER 60 PLANES A DAY. THAT WAS OVER 600 MEN WHO WERE EITHER KILLED OR CAPTURED.
ONCE OVER THE TARGET, THE MOST APPEALING WORDS WERE “BOMBS AWAY”. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT WE COULD RALLY SHARPLY AWAY FROM THE TARGET AND CLIMB SOMEWHAT TO AVOID THE INTENSE ANTI- AIRCRAFT FIRE. OF COURSE, AS SOON AS WE LEFT THE INTENSE FLAK AREA, ENEMY FIGHTERS ATTACKED US AGAIN. THE STRAGLERS WHO FELL BEHIND DUE TO DAMAGED AIRCRAFT WERE EASY TARGET. LOSSES ON RETURN WERE HEAVIER THAN GOING IN BECAUSE THE DAMAGED PLANES COULD NOT KEEP UP WITH THE FORMATION.
BY THIS TIME WE WERE SEVERELY EXHAUSTED. THE PLANES WERE NOT PRESSURIZED AND THE MINUS 60 DEGREE TEMPERATURE CONTRIBUTED TO EXTREEME FATIGUE. WE HAD ELECTRICALLY HEATED FLYING SUITS WHICH HELPED CONSIDERABLY, UNLESS THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS SHOT OUT.
IT IS REMARKIBLE HOW ONE CAN COME SO CLOSE TO DEATH AND SURVIVE. JUST A FEW “WAR STORIES” WILL ILLUSTRATE THIS. ON ONE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT MISSION, AN ANTI- AIRCRAFT SHELL BURST JUST IN FRONT OF THE PROPELLER NEAR MY POSITION. THE PROP THREW THE SHRAPNEL THROUGH THE SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH TERRIFIC FORCE. IT TORE THE SUN GLASSES OFF MY FACE WITHOUT SCRATCHING ME.
I THOUGHT I WAS INVINCIBLE UNTIL ANOTHER ROUND CAME THROUGH THE TOP OF THE AIRCRAFT AND CUT MY NECK AS IT SMASHED THROUGH THE FLOOR OF THE AIRCRAFT. IT WAS A FAIRLY MINOR INJURY WHICH FELT LIKE A BEE STING.
SHRAPNEL OFTEN TEARS THROUGH THE AIRCRAFT AND CREW MEMBERS OFTEN ARE WOUNDED.
MEANWHILE, MY MOST FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE BEFORE WE GOT OUT OF FLAK RANGE WAS ANOTHER SHELL BURSTING JUST OUTSIDE THE NOSE WHICH ENTERED BY MY LEFT FOOT. IT TORE MY BOOT TO SHREDS, EVEN TEARING THE SOCK FROM MY FOOT WITHOUT INJURING IT.
OF COURSE, THE MINUS 60 DEGREE AIR TEMPERATURE ENTERING THROUGH THE HUGE GASH AT OVER 200 MPH WOULD HAVE FLASH FROZEN MY FOOT IN A FEW SECONDS. I TURNED THE CONTROLS OVER TO THE CO-PILOT AND EXITED THE SEAT HASTILY. THE ENGINEER TORE THE SLEEVE OFF A FLEECE- LINED JACKET AND CONVERTED IT INTO A LONG SOCK FOR MY FOOT. A BLANKET WAS STUFED INTO THE GASH IN THE AIRPLANE TO STEM THE FLOW OF FRIGID AIR. I WAS NOW ABLE TO RESUME MY DUTIES AS PILOT OF THE AIRCRAFT.
AS SOON AS I RETURNED TO MY SEAT, THE ENGINE NEAREST TO ME THAT HAD RELIEVED ME OF MY SUN GLASSES FAILED. WITH ANOTHER ENGINE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE RUNNING AT REDUCED POWER DUE TO DAMAGE, WE SLOWED DOWN CONSIDERABLY AND FELL FAR BEHIND WHAT REMAINED OF THE ORIGINAL FORMATION. WE WERE STILL IN ENEMY TERRITORY AND WOULD HAVE BEEN EASY PREY TO ENEMY FIGHTERS.
FORTUNATELY, NONE MATERIALIZED AND WE STRUGGLED ON, WITH THE FORMATION NOW OUT OF SIGHT. IT WAS A LONELY AND FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE.
OUR PROBLEM NOW WAS THAT WE HAD LOST SO MUCH ALTITUDE THAT WE COULD NOT GET OVER THE ITALIAN ALPS. WE FLEW A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE EAST WHERE THE MOUNTAINS WERE LOWER AND CROSSED THEM OK. WE WERE NOW OVER YUGOSLAVIS AND THE SUN WAS SETTING.
WITH A DAMAGED AIRCRAFT AND BEING LOW ON FUEL, WE COULD NO LONGER MAKE IT TO OUR HOME BASE.
MUCH OF YUGOSLAVIA WAS OCCUPIED BY THE GERMAN ARMY AND WE WERE IN DANGER OF BEING CAPTURED. WE LOCATED AN ABANDONED AIRPORT WITH DAMAGED RUNWAYS. SMALL BUSHES WERE GROWING THROUGH THE CRACKS BUT WE DECIDED TO LAND THERE RATHER THAN BAIL OUT.
THE LANDING WAS ROUGH BUT UNEVENTFUL. THERE WAS NOTHING WE COULD DO BUT BED DOWN FOR THE NIGHT. WE SLEPT IN OR UNDER THE PLANE AS ARTILLERY SHELLS ZOOMED OVERHEAD FROM BOTH DIRECTIONS. WE WERE CAUGHT IN NO-MANS-LAND BETWEEN THE TWO WARRING FORCES. WITH NO FOOD OR WATER, WE SPENT THE NEXT DAY AND NIGHT ON THE PLANE. AFTER ABOUT 36 HOURS, EARLY THE SECOND MORNING, A LARGE MILITARY TRUCK WAS APPROACHING US AND I THOUTGHT WE WERE PRISONERS FOR SURE.
NEVER HAS A BRITISH ACCENT SOUNDED SO GOOD. WITH A “HIYA MATES” WE WERE LOADED ON THEIR TRUCK AND DRIVEN SOUTH TO THEIR AREA AND FED BREAKFAST. A RADIO CALL TO A SMALL AMERICAN CONTINGENT COMPLETED OUR RESCUE. AFTER ANOTHER DAY, A SMALLER AMERICAN PLANE CAME TO PICK US UP AND RETURN US TO OUR HOME BASE IN SOUTHERN ITALY.
THAT WAS A FAIRLY TYPICAL MISSION. MANY CREWS HAD MUCH MORE SERIOUS EXPERIENCES.
SOME COMMENTS ABOUT WAR IN GENERAL. THE CHILDREN SUFFER SO MUCH AND ARE BEWILDERED BY THE NOISE AND CARNAGE. SEVERAL BECOME ORPHANS AND BEG FOR FOOD TO SURVIVE. THEY HOLD OUT THEIR HANDS AND PLEAD “CHOCOLATA JOE.” IT TEARS YOUR HEART OUT TO SEE SUCH MISERY. WHOEVER COINED THE PHRASE: “WAR IS HELL“, WAS AN OPTIMIST.
ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS, I SAVED MOST OF MY CANDY BAR RATION AND ABOUT ONCE A WEEK I WOULD GO TO A NEARBY TOWN AND SIT ON A DELAPIDATED PARK BENCH AND WAIT FOR THE CHILDREN TO SHOW UP, WHERE I WOULD DISTRIBUTE MY CANDY BARS.
ONE LAST COMMENT: ON RETURNING FROM A MISSION, THE MECHANICS WHO HAVE NOW HAD THEIR 8 HOURS OF SLEEP, GATHERED NEAR THE RUNWAY, ALONG WITH NUMEROUS OTHERS, WHO WATCHED FOR THE RETURNING AIRCRAFT. FIRE TRUCKS AND AMBULANCES WERE AT THE READY. YOU COULD HEAR MEN COUNTING THE AIRCRAFT TO SEE HOW MANY WERE LOST.
THERE WERE USUALLY QUITE A FEW MISSING AND YOU COULD ONLY HOPE THEY WERE JUST A LITTLE BEHIND DUE TO DAMAGE OR THAT THEY MAY HAVE LANDED AT ANOTHER BASE.
WHEN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THERE WOULD BE NO MORE RETURNING, AND NO ONE HAD REPORTED IN FROM ANOTHER BASE, THE NAMES OF THE MISSING CREWS WERE REVEALED. IT WAS A SOLEMN EVENT AND THE LETTERS LEFT WITH FRIENDS WERE NOW MAILED.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN A ROOM MATE OR A BUDDY YOU HAD BREAKFAST WITH.
AT LONGT LAST THE WAR ENDED AND WE WERE SOON ON A SHIP COMING HOME. WE WERE CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THAT WE WOULD MAKE IT HOME OK. HOWEVER, A FEW MEN WHO WERE BADLY INJURED, SUCCUMBED AND WERE BURIED AT SEA.
WHEN WE PASSED THE STATUE OF LIBERTY COMING IN TO NEW YORK HARBOR, TEARS OF JOY FILLED THE EYES OF MOST MEN. THANK GOD WE HAD MADE IT.
I CONTINUED IN THE AIR FORCE AS A CAREER PILOT AND FLEW RATHER UNEVENTFUL MISSIONS AS A TRANSPORT PILOT IN THE KOREAN AND VIETNAM WARS. I RETIRED IN JUNE OF 1970 AND AM DEFINITELY LIVING HAPPILY EVER AFTER.
I SPENT 24 WONDERFUL YEARS AS A MATH INSTRUCTOR AT WHAT IS NOW UVU.
I AM NOW FULLY RETIRED. SINCE NEARLY 1000 WORLD WAR TWO VETERANS ARE DYING DAILY, STANDING IN THIS CEMETARY I FEEL LIKE I AM APARTMENT HUNTING.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SHARE MY STORY WITH YOU. I HAVE OMITTED THE MORE GRAPHIC EVENTS, YOU CAN WATCH THAT ON TV.
MY EXPERIENCES WERE TYPICAL OF THOSE EXPERIENCED BY MOST OTER CREWS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE VETERANS. DON’T CALL THEM HEROS THOUGH, IT MAY EMBARRASS THEM. A SIMPLE THANK YOU IS APPRECIATED. A WISE MAN COUNSELLED: “WHEN YOU RETURN HOME, GRATEFUL CITIZEN WILL PRAISE YOU AND SAY WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT YOU. DO NOT INHALE IT. CONTINUE SERVING YOUR COUNTRY AND YOUR FELLOW BEINGS IN HUMILITY AND YOU WILL BE MUCH HAPPIER”
FOR THOSE STILL ON ACTIVE DUTY, ASSISTING THEIR WIVES AND CHILDREN IS THE GREATEST SERVIVE YOU CAN RENDER. CONCERN FOR THEIR FAMILY IS A MUCH GREATER CONCERN THAN THEIR OWN SAFETY.
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| "Under the Guns" again. W.A. Drake 2009 |
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| Bill and Kimberly flew in one of the few B-24's remaining in flying condition. WWII Vintage planes in Heritage Fly Over. Kim made this great day happen. |
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| W.A. Drake "Bill" back in Pilot in Command Seat of a B-24 |
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| "Vetran" |
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