jonthepain
04-02-2010, 08:30 PM
Thanks to all for your prayers and support. We all appreciate it.
Bob took his last flight and joined the rest of his B-17 crew in the wild blue yonder a couple of weeks ago. We arrived at the Mighty Eighth Museum in Savannah to find that they had lowered the flag to half mast for him.
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight016.jpg
It's a beautiful place
Bob's son Cliff in SUV
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight2006.jpg
and the wind was really rippin
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight2007.jpg
We had the service at the Memorial Chapel on the Museum grounds. It's a recreation of an old English chapel near one of the English airfields that the B-17s used in WWII.
That's Bobby Jr. on the walkway
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight001.jpg
I wish I had taken some photos of the awesome stained glass in there; very cool with formations of B-17s and P-51s and the Lord in the clouds. Very cool. Here's one I found online somewhere; the best one was right over the alter, but this one gives you kind of the idea
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/b17stainedglass.jpg
Interment was in a marble wall with other Mighty Eighth veterans. The rain let up just as we were filing outdoors.
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight2004.jpg
and Bob's granddaughter sang a song that she had written.
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight020.jpg
The museum is really awesome. They've got a 109
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight2001.jpg
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight009.jpg
P51
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight007.jpg
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight008.jpg
and of course a B-17
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight013.jpg
that they are restoring
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight014.jpg
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight012.jpg
(I took that one for Skip)
the thing is so big i had a hard time getting a decent photo
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight002.jpg
They have a display of the 379th
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight024.jpg
As well as hundreds of other very informative displays, including one about the Schweinfurt run (that Bob went on with the 379th) when we sent 230 B-17s to bomb the ball bearing plants there. I believe we lost 60 bombers on that run.
B-17s over Schweinfurt
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/B-17soverSchweinfurt.jpg
I think the highlight of the museum is a recreation of a bombing run over Germany. you sit in a small movie theater with several screens around you. They show actual footage of Me 109s screaming in at you, other FFs going down, chatter between the crewmembers, flashes and (loud) explosions, and when they open the bombay doors (that screen is in the floor) you are hit with a blast of air. The volunteer who guided us thru this was a bottom turret gunner during WWII. He said for the full effect they need to make the air -30 degrees when the doors open. It was a very emotional experience.
I told the turret gunner that Bob had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for saving the life of his turret gunner somewhere over France, and he seemed touched by that. Not many of those guys left anymore.
Bob's license plate
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/licenseplatetouchedup.jpg
So thanks again from Mom, me, and Bob's sons Cliff and Bobby Jr.
Mom
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight027.jpg
And thank you to all the veterans, especially our WWII veterans, and particularly the veterans of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, for fighting and making the ultimate sacrifice for this great country that I love so much.
jonthepain
Bob took his last flight and joined the rest of his B-17 crew in the wild blue yonder a couple of weeks ago. We arrived at the Mighty Eighth Museum in Savannah to find that they had lowered the flag to half mast for him.
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight016.jpg
It's a beautiful place
Bob's son Cliff in SUV
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight2006.jpg
and the wind was really rippin
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight2007.jpg
We had the service at the Memorial Chapel on the Museum grounds. It's a recreation of an old English chapel near one of the English airfields that the B-17s used in WWII.
That's Bobby Jr. on the walkway
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight001.jpg
I wish I had taken some photos of the awesome stained glass in there; very cool with formations of B-17s and P-51s and the Lord in the clouds. Very cool. Here's one I found online somewhere; the best one was right over the alter, but this one gives you kind of the idea
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/b17stainedglass.jpg
Interment was in a marble wall with other Mighty Eighth veterans. The rain let up just as we were filing outdoors.
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight2004.jpg
and Bob's granddaughter sang a song that she had written.
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight020.jpg
The museum is really awesome. They've got a 109
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight2001.jpg
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight009.jpg
P51
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight007.jpg
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight008.jpg
and of course a B-17
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight013.jpg
that they are restoring
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight014.jpg
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight012.jpg
(I took that one for Skip)
the thing is so big i had a hard time getting a decent photo
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight002.jpg
They have a display of the 379th
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight024.jpg
As well as hundreds of other very informative displays, including one about the Schweinfurt run (that Bob went on with the 379th) when we sent 230 B-17s to bomb the ball bearing plants there. I believe we lost 60 bombers on that run.
B-17s over Schweinfurt
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/B-17soverSchweinfurt.jpg
I think the highlight of the museum is a recreation of a bombing run over Germany. you sit in a small movie theater with several screens around you. They show actual footage of Me 109s screaming in at you, other FFs going down, chatter between the crewmembers, flashes and (loud) explosions, and when they open the bombay doors (that screen is in the floor) you are hit with a blast of air. The volunteer who guided us thru this was a bottom turret gunner during WWII. He said for the full effect they need to make the air -30 degrees when the doors open. It was a very emotional experience.
I told the turret gunner that Bob had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for saving the life of his turret gunner somewhere over France, and he seemed touched by that. Not many of those guys left anymore.
Bob's license plate
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/licenseplatetouchedup.jpg
So thanks again from Mom, me, and Bob's sons Cliff and Bobby Jr.
Mom
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/jonthepain/lastflight027.jpg
And thank you to all the veterans, especially our WWII veterans, and particularly the veterans of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, for fighting and making the ultimate sacrifice for this great country that I love so much.
jonthepain