A Salute to Veterans

By: Doug Eckerty

Over the summer, I was fortunate enough to fulfill a lifelong dream of actually flying in a World War II bomber, the B-17 Flying Fortress. The B-17 was in Muncie, Indiana at Johnson Field for three days, offering tours of the aircraft as well as flights. The experience was outstanding and left me with a profound sense of reverence and awe for those brave and selfless men who flew in these aircraft.

I have always had an interest in those who served in the military during World War II; most likely because my dad and his two brothers served in the military during that  period, as well as all six of my mother’s brothers. My dad was a sonar operator on a mine sweeper in the Atlantic; his brother Pete was in the infantry in Italy and the last brother, Reece, was a logistical officer. Two of my mom’s brothers served in General Patton’s tank corps and were part of the final invasion of Germany. I can remember from my childhood my dad and my uncles telling stories about the war, and I can equally remember them telling about friends and family who did not return home, having laid the ultimate sacrifice on the altar of freedom.

When I told my dad that I was going to take a flight on the B-17 he welled up with tears and told me that if it had not been for the men who flew in those bombers it was  doubtful that we would have won the war. He said the attrition rate of both men and aircraft was enormous. He also told me that his cousin, a tail gunner, had been killed in a bombing run over Germany and that my mom had a cousin who was a B-17 co-pilot whose plane was shot down over Germany and he perished.

The day of my flight brought me the opportunity to talk at some length with one of the flight crew, Dave, about the history of the B-17 itself and the men who flew in them. He told me that 12,000 B-17’s had been built and flew during the war. Of the 12,000 built, 6,000 were shot down and 25,000 airmen had lost their lives. My dad was right about the attrition rate, 25,000 is roughly the entire population of New Castle, Indiana, our neighboring community just a few miles to our south.

As we crawled up into the B-17 for our flight I was overcome with a sense of pride and gratitude for those brave airmen who put everything on the line to liberate a world at war and preserve freedom. For those of you out there who flew in these extraordinary aircraft and survived, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. And for those of you who were the family and friends of the more of the 25,000 who lost their lives I can only tell you that I will always remember and honor their sacrifice and yours. Indeed, you are all part of the greatest generation to have ever lived. Thank you all.