Another of the greatest generation goes to his reward.

9/9/04 | Self

[New Perspective]

Thank you for posting. Everyone needs a little reminder every now and then to realize how lucky we are to have what we have. I cherish the ground our veterans walk on for if it were not for them I would not be free.

[The Duke]

Something tells me there's a shiny new Spitfire flying amongst the clouds of heaven this day.

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .

Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

— John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

[b4its2late]

Yep. You're right. Thanks for posting that.

[The Duke]

The following page...

http://www.skygod.com/quotes/highflight.html

...decribes the origins of this poem. Coincidentally, the author was himself a WWII Spitfire pilot who perished only weeks after authoring the poem.

[Skooz]

Thanks for posting this. What an excellent story.

We are surrounded by heroes, and we usually don't even know it.

[Skooz]

I remember hearing that poem and seeing a video clip of an F-105 as it was being read. I don't suppose anyfreeper would have it as a digital copy, would they?

Nope. But my local TV station used to play it at least once every day when I was growing up. It is burned into my memory.

[The_Media_never_lie]

Wow, what a wartime record! We owe so much to Chuck Earnhart and his generation. I am sad that I never met Chuck.

[Big Red Badger]

Great Story...
THANKS for the Link
From Spitfires!

[henbane]

Charles Benson Earnhart: American Air Museum in Britain

NEVER FORGET

[Blood of Tyrants]

That’s Chuck!