tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891179949997003543.post3837765781806882309..comments2023-10-04T06:02:35.168-05:00Comments on Smiling Heart: A purple masterpieceJohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14937847762010497687noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891179949997003543.post-74519488402768013772010-05-10T20:40:06.506-05:002010-05-10T20:40:06.506-05:00Nancy. Thanks so much. I want to copy all your com...Nancy. Thanks so much. I want to copy all your comments and forward them to my mother. Also, please tell us about your father.Cat or Doghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02144896892032307491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891179949997003543.post-34881962746004758852010-05-10T11:37:26.298-05:002010-05-10T11:37:26.298-05:00Dubby, I am sorry to hear your father died. My fa...Dubby, I am sorry to hear your father died. My father passed away 3 1/2 yrs ago, and my mom was determined to write down all of his stories - its just amazing what WWII stories they had to tell. My dad's bronze star (which I only heard about after I graduated - he never really spoke about it) came with a descriptive letter describing his contribution - that was burned in a <a href="http://www.archives.gov/research/order/vets-records.html" rel="nofollow">St. Louis fire </a>along with all of the other records - he was in the 8th. His copy went with the tornado, as did so many pictures, etc.... There are MANY wonderful autobiographical books written by WWI pilots (especially) that can make you feel as if you were in the rickety planes with them. Hard to find, but the BEST, most poetic writer - wrote Sagitarrius Rising (Cecil Lewis - not the famous author, but happens to be this pilot's name). I found some excerpts from this book at <a href="http://reader.homestead.com/Sagittarius.html" rel="nofollow">Cecil Lewis</a> - and on the Excerpts 2 you will find part of the description of night flying for the first time. It is amazing that these rickety planes survived so much! Teaching strategy to the Chinese was really something, and I am told that DESPITE the new manuevers the Chinese deployed (thanks to those few men along with your dad), the Japanese never did change THEIR fighting strategy and really started losing. I hope you can put your mom's stories together, it would sure be nice to have that perspective. Arch Whitehouse wrote more WWI books that were pretty good to read, and another book I just finished 'Forever Flying' by Bob Hoover is more of a recent account by the famous aerobatic pilot. There are more - just these seem to give the taste of the era's. P40's were pretty tired by the time WWII started, and only used in the beginning - as P51 Mustangs, etc. started claiming fame. I am learning through all of this too - glad to share!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891179949997003543.post-34486486929667851172010-05-10T08:19:08.996-05:002010-05-10T08:19:08.996-05:00Thanks Nancy. I just now saw this reply. Yes, Weld...Thanks Nancy. I just now saw this reply. Yes, Weldon was my dad. Interesting that my mom did save the patches but my dad gave his fighter jacket to my grandpa who put it in a Goodwill bin! Wish we had it today.<br /><br />The story of the Tigers is interesting. The P-40s they flew over India into China were so worn out and rickety that they were dangerous just to fly and the mission of flying over those mountains was extremely scary as my dad told us later (before he died). My mom knows more because he really never talked about it. This journal by Major Mcguire is a wonderful compilation. Thanks so much for uncovering it!Cat or Doghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02144896892032307491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891179949997003543.post-27067405117210239362010-05-07T19:33:26.687-05:002010-05-07T19:33:26.687-05:00Oh Dubby that is so interesting, and I hope you re...Oh Dubby that is so interesting, and I hope you recorded any stories your father had! As I understand it, Flying Tigers (led by Chennault) volunteered to teach the Chinese how to fight the Japanese Zero. Basically the Zero could out-turn their airplanes, so they taught them to make the fight keeping the sun on their back, and dive down firing from above the target, then back to where the sun would block their view (sun to the back) - instead of letting the zero outmaneuver them. Fight on their own terms, and not be led into a chase that the zero could win. By the time the United States got involved in the war, the Flying Tigers had experience - and they were dispersed to work under brass that had NO experience....so the brass was miffed at these guys telling them (and rightly so) how to DO things! <br><br />Also, the Japanese were very superstitious and the shark painted on the airplane was there for that reason.<br><br />Is your dad <a href="http://genemcguire.com/Html/Pictures1.htm" rel="nofollow">Weldon Riley</a>?Nancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17245150593056952534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891179949997003543.post-12481322331154890032010-05-07T05:12:58.819-05:002010-05-07T05:12:58.819-05:00Nancy. My father flew the shark mouthed P-40s and ...Nancy. My father flew the shark mouthed P-40s and P-51s. He was in the Flying Tigers. He was an ace and he was shot down twice, himself. I never heard the stories until he was an old man. He didn't talk about it when I was younger. When we were in grade school and other boys were drawing pictures about their hero dads from "the war," I felt uninformed. I came home from school that day and asked mom, "What did dad do in the war--other boys' fathers were heroes. My mom said he was a hero too and that was the first time I'd heard it.Cat or Doghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02144896892032307491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891179949997003543.post-34703410862831194862010-05-05T15:19:33.120-05:002010-05-05T15:19:33.120-05:00Dubby, thanks for speaking from the heart! John al...Dubby, thanks for speaking from the heart! John almost looks healthy in this clip! I can just imagine the cameraman saying, 'smile now for the camera'<br />What airplanes did your father fly?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11717765872277844871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891179949997003543.post-63421574378949105212010-05-05T14:42:43.752-05:002010-05-05T14:42:43.752-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11717765872277844871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891179949997003543.post-61680347675948182342010-04-30T14:10:24.040-05:002010-04-30T14:10:24.040-05:00Thanks Reya and Jo for your kind remarks. Really t...Thanks Reya and Jo for your kind remarks. Really this isn't as exceptional as you give me credit for. When people asked my father how he ever had the nerve to become a fighter pilot in the Army Aircorps (before there was such thing as an Air Force) he said he just thought it would be safer to be in the air shooting down than to be down there being shot at.<br /><br />It seems our choices are either to accept this state of two sides, both refusing to "give in" or to seek an alternative way.<br /><br />We should have "purple rallies" or the equivalent with the intention to make friends with those we have decided are our foes. Break bread, let our kids play (our grandkids, most of us now) together.<br /><br />But not to make light of your lovely comments. Thanks for taking the time.<br /><br />Cheers,Cat or Doghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02144896892032307491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891179949997003543.post-90263274934697649932010-04-30T13:47:25.607-05:002010-04-30T13:47:25.607-05:00Reya...how is Mac?! I just asked Linda (Ricketts) ...Reya...how is Mac?! I just asked Linda (Ricketts) Hirsch about her this morning!! Too weird!Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14937847762010497687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891179949997003543.post-53649715621709203382010-04-30T13:16:35.657-05:002010-04-30T13:16:35.657-05:00I am so excited to read this, Dub. How healing it ...I am so excited to read this, Dub. How healing it is to start the practice of tolerating diversity. They always say, "celebrate diversity," but honestly, that's SO hard. For me if I can just take a deep breath and admit that PERHAPS there might be other ways to view the world, PERHAPS ... I always feel more expansive.<br /><br />Tolerance of alternative points of view is SO NEEDED right now in the U.S. There's plenty of contentious, acrimonious energy circling around. We don't have to add more to it. <br /><br />I salute you!! Wow. You are mighty!!!<br /><br />Also, ... wow.... Paul's. Hadn't thought of Paul's in forever. God. Riding in Linda McAllister's black mustang fastback to flirt and hang out - wow and wow and wow again.<br /><br />I'm in touch with Linda who is still as fabulous as she was way back then. Just like the rest of us here.<br /><br />Thanks for this. xxReya Mellickerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13076092659507965666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891179949997003543.post-56011548973408437882010-04-29T20:17:48.952-05:002010-04-29T20:17:48.952-05:00PURPLE! Perfect! "The color of nobility and s...PURPLE! Perfect! "The color of nobility and spirituality. It holds an almost sacred place in nature"...and in terms of the metaphysical, the 7th chakra is purple..."a perfect balance of red and blue, instilling both strength and dignity...When this chakra is open, you are unprejudiced and quite aware of the world and yourself." (thanks,Yahoo)<br /><br />We could all stand to be more noble, spiritual, unprejudiced, and aware of the world and ourselves!<br /><br />How brilliant! Thank you for the shining golden thread in our vibrant purple tapestry! <br /><br />And your lovely words about my writing humble me. Stop it! ;-)Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14937847762010497687noreply@blogger.com