Wartime Stories, Letters & Poetry #4

{s:TopicNav|Memorial Day 2013|ForumNew.T1289|ForumNew.T1289|ForumNew.T1194|ForumNew.F19|ForumNew.T1141|ForumNew.T0617|ForumNew.T0015} 
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| '''jshepherd5''' <br/><br/><div class='poster-info'><img src='/public/Attachments/ForumNew.MainPage/NoAvatar.gif' /></div><br/>5/26/2013 2:51:43 PM 
| In Memory Of All Those Who Served<br/> <br/> When I wake up every morning in this land of the free<br/> I offer thanks to God right then for allowing me to be<br/> Among the fortunate citizens of the good old USA<br/> Who in spite of everything can still bow our heads to pray!<br/> <br/> Now it’s not just the act of praying that makes it all worthwhile,<br/> But that He will treat us all as if we were just a little child,<br/> For it is of such as these we’re told who will welcome us on high,<br/> When we go to live with Jesus in our abode up in the sky!<br/> <br/> If you are a citizen, born and bred, then you should bow your head.<br/> Say “thanks” to Jesus and “Praise the Lord” and then get out of bed.<br/> Remember that today is Memorial Day and then say “thanks” to a vet.<br/> Heroes abound from all the wars with some still fighting yet!<br/> <br/> I want to add my thanks to all my comrades-in-arms.<br/> Many of them had it much worse than I and were faced with constant harms.<br/> I flew my crew into battles which took place up in the sky.<br/> We always did our best to return to base but we were not afraid to die!<br/> <br/> Machine gun fire from my planes many guns always made my heart rate soar,<br/> But enemy bullets and shell fire tearing my plane apart made it pound much more.<br/> We travelled for several hours on a mission before becoming engaged in battle,<br/> And many things could happen which would leave you “up the creek without a paddle!”<br/> <br/> I can truthfully say that I have met the enemy and I mean “face-to-face.”<br/> He was flying his ME-262 twin engine fighter and it was not an even race.<br/> He gave out of ammunition and moved in to fly formation on my wing.<br/> We were almost to the target area and right then I couldn’t do a thing!<br/> <br/> He was one of Hermann Goering’s special Aces and I looked him in the eye.<br/> He was watching our every move so I thumbed my nose as if to say “hi.”<br/> He thumbed his nose right back at me, he wanted to be my friend.<br/> It was like a game of cat and mouse, but one in which no one wins!<br/> <br/> I was watching him very closely and he knew that I knew he couldn’t shoot.<br/> He brought his right hand up into a near perfect command salute.<br/> As I returned the salute he began to roll his plane, in place, upside down.<br/> He did what we pilots call a split-S maneuver and scooted “out of town!”<br/> <br/> My crew was going crazy while this happened, they were really in a stew.<br/> The bomb-bay doors were open and the target was now in view.<br/> “Bombs away” came over the intercom and bombs fell from every plane.<br/> We began to turn and headed back in the direction from whence we came!<br/> <br/> All in all a typical mission, but close encounters are more thrilling.<br/> When you survive completely unscathed it is quite fulfilling.<br/> We did lose some planes that day, not everyone made it back.<br/> You can’t lose your nerve in combat even when you’re under attack!<br/> <br/>                                                                                  Copyright              2013<br/> <br/>                                                                                   Jacob Nathaniel Shepherd <br/><br/><br/> 
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| '''donaldbyers''' <br/><br/><div class='poster-info'><img src='/public/Attachments/ForumNew.MainPage/donaldbyers.jpg' /></div><br/>5/28/2013 11:08:09 AM 
| Thanks for posting that Jake great words.....<br/> <br/> Don <br/><br/>Sgt. Donald C. Byers, 613th Bomb Squadron, Togglier, 42-97344 Carrie B II, KIA 08/24/1944.<br/> 
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| '''Jackie Sharp Sheflin''' <br/><br/><div class='poster-info'><img src='/public/Attachments/ForumNew.MainPage/NoAvatar.gif' /></div><br/>8/30/2013 7:22:46 AM 
| Very nice.Thank you so much for sharing... <br/><br/><img class='ForumMaxImgWidth' src='http://www.donald-byers.com/JackieSharpSig.jpg' /><br/> 
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