Hello Young Eagles!
This post is for you, future pilots! Tony enjoyed meeting you at Cleburne Airport and talking to you about World War II, his missing Uncle Charlie, the pilot John Way, and Miss Deal.
We hope you had a great time today, and learned a lot of new things.
Looks like you had fun!
Here is an old but great ad featuring a B-17 Flying Fortress from Texas. You might remember hearing that this is the kind of airplane that Tony's uncle flew on.
Don't Mess with Texas!
There is an old saying that goes, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
Indeed, many people are only interested in today and in the future. Nonetheless, there is great value in the knowledge of history! One of the easiest ways to develop an interest in history is to make it personal. Take World War II, for instance. Can you imagine what life was like for someone your age in 1941? In the United States, perhaps you would have relatives - a brother, an uncle - joining the Army. Perhaps you yourself would be joining in a few years, or going to work in a
factory to help with the war effort.
Suppose you lived in Germany, or other parts of Europe in 1941. Would you have been a member of the
Hitler Youth? Or maybe you would have had to go into hiding with your family, like
Anne Frank. Or perhaps you would have sheltered those who were persecuted, like
Corrie ten Boom.
Your life would have been quite different in those days. You would only have had a radio instead of a TV. Your dinner and your everyday life would have been affected by
rationing.
You can begin your own World War II research by finding out about relatives who may have participated in the war effort. Ask your family members what they know about relatives who lived in the 1940s. Ask older relatives what they remember about the war years. Ask to look at old photographs. There are many great stories within your own family, if you only take the time to find out!
About B-17s
More information on WWII aircraft
About becoming a pilot
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