World War II
Chuck Yeager: Where I Was on December 7, 1941 When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
General Chuck Yeager’s words: I had entered the Army Air Corps September 9, 1941, fresh out of high school and a summer of working with Dad, chores, huntin’, swimmin’ and fishin’. On December 7, 1941; I was stationed at Moffett Field in California, still a crew chief, although I had applied for pilot training. Jimmy…
Read MoreNovember 23, 1943: Off to war. And England.
November 23, 1943: Off to war. In General Chuck Yeager’s words: We got on the Queen Elizabeth to cross the Atlantic Ocean to war. There were 25,000 – one third a-sleeping, one third a-eating, one third a-puking. Then we switched every 8 hours. One guy asked, “Aren’t you feeling okay?” The other one said, “What?…
Read MoreMarch 26, 1944: Pyrenees Foothills: AVOID border Spanish-might sell us to Gestapo
The moment I hop in the back, the truck takes off. There are four or five other guys seated on the benches, and nobody says a word. mainly because they are too busy hanging on while the driver barrels down twisting backstreets, doing fifty or better. I hear the guy seated next to me mutter,…
Read MoreMarch 20-21, 1944: Evading Germans & Recon planes
Most of the time I have no idea where we are. We are constantly on the move, making camp twice a day to eat and sleep never staying anywhere more than a few hours at a time. The Germans are always hunting for us, their Fiesler Storches skinning in low over the forest while we…
Read MoreMarch 18-19, 1944. WWII.In the Woods with the Maquis
March 18-19, 2014 We bike ride back to Nerac in record time and sack out in the shed at Gabriel’s. At night, Raoul leaves. Gabriel takes me out in the forest. Uh oh. We hike for hours. I’m on guard. Where is he taking me? Why? I try not to think about how freezing cold…
Read MoreMarch 17-19, 1944: WWII. Blowing up Bridges.
March 17, ’44: Gabriel sends me with Raoul by bicycle up to Gabriel’s family home. I don’t know anything except I’m to go with Raoul. Hope I can trust him. We get to Gabriel’s parents’ house in about 3 hours. My legs are a bit stiff but I don’t have an alternative or a car.…
Read MoreMarch 16-17, 1944:WWII. Close call-Germans Walk Right in Front of Me
March 16, ’44: The girl leaves. No chance. But really too dangerous – don’t ever know who is on what side. March 17, 1944: Not much to do so I venture a little closer to the road – watch the passersby from under the shade of the tree, think about my next move. How am…
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