Honor in the Air

I wonder if we know what honor means anymore in our world today. War is a terrible thing, but there was once a time that even in the middle of a terrible war, World War II, honor was still being displayed. Here's a true story of honor...

The New York Post tells the remarkable story of World War II American bomber pilot Charlie Brown and German Luftwaffe ace Franz Stigler, who instead of shooting down Brown’s crippled plane, flew alongside it and saluted. The story comes from the new book A Higher Call, by Adam Makos and Larry Alexander.

In December 1943, in the skies over Germany, Stigler was in pursuit of Brown’s plane, looking to shoot it down. If he did, it would be his 23rd victory, good enough to earn him the Knight’s Cross, the highest honor for a German soldier in World War II.

But as he approached the plane, Stigler saw that it had no tail guns blinking, no tail-gun compartment remaining, and no left stabilizer. Moving closer, he noticed that the nose of the aircraft was missing. And he could see into the plane, the skin of it having been blown off. Inside, he observed terrified young men tending to their wounded.

Stigler could not shoot the plane down. He had been trained that “honor is everything.” If he survived the war, his superior officer told him, the only way he would be able to live with himself was if he had fought with as much humanity as possible.

Stigler could tell that Brown didn’t realize how bad a shape his plane was in. He gestured for Brown to land the plane, intending to escort him. But Brown shook his head. The American had no intention of landing in Germany and being taken prisoner along with his men.

Stigler then yelled “Sweden,” meaning that Brown should land his plane there. But Brown didn’t know what Stigler was yelling. Terrified, Brown ordered his gunner to get in the turret and take aim. At that point, Stigler saluted Brown and veered away. His last words to him were, “Good luck, you’re in God’s hands now.”

Brown somehow was able to land the plane in England. He continued his Air Force career for two decades, but remained obsessed with the incident.

Finally, in 1990, he took out an ad in a newsletter for fighter pilots, looking for the one “who saved my life on Dec. 20, 1943.” He held back key information to screen fraudulent responses.

Stigler, now living in Vancouver, saw the ad and yelled to his wife: “This is him! This is the one I didn’t shoot down!” He immediately wrote a letter to Brown, and the two then connected in an emotional phone call.

Stigler and Brown both died in 2008, six months apart. In their obituaries, each was listed as “a special brother” to the other.


 

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Monday Video - Dog Imitates Baby

Dogs and babies. How can you go wrong with that combination. Enjoy.

 

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Betty's Heading for Ohio

I took Betty to the airport early this morning (like, 5:45 AM) so she could catch a Southwest flight to Denver. After a three hour layover she'll catch another Southwest flight to Columbus, Ohio.

She's going to be with our son, Chris, and his wife, Tracy. Chris, if you recall, has had a previous surgery because of diverticulitis. He's having another surgery this coming Wednesday, December 12 to remove the damaged part of his intestines. Hopefully, this will take care of his problems and all will be well.

I'm flying to Tennessee the following Saturday, December 15. I'll visit for a couple of days with my sister and brother-in-law in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Then I'll drive up to Ohio to spend a couple of nights with my son. Betty and I'll drive to Tennessee to celebrate Christmas with Betty's family and with our son, daughter-in-law and granddaughters who are flying in for Christmas.

So, keep Betty, Chris and Tracy in your prayers. Also, pray that we have good weather for all this driving in the mid-West in winter.


Since Betty has a three hour layover in the Denver airport, maybe she'll be lucky enough to be entertained by these folks. I love these flash mobs that bring a few minutes of smiles to people.

 

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Movie Review - Lincoln

When I go to see movie I want to be entertained, or laugh, or be educated, or be uplifted.

Betty and I went to see the movie 'Lincoln' on Friday afternoon.

'Lincoln' fits the last two categories. It educates as to what happened during the few months that Abraham Lincoln pushed for the passage of the 13th Amendment that eliminated slavery.

It's also an uplifting movie that shows both the lowest parts of human nature and the better parts.

It's an extraordinary movie that is very well done. Having grown up in the late 40s and 50s, I have vivid memories of family homes - grandparents, aunts and uncles - that still had the heaviness of the Victorian era. The movie sets captured that heaviness - in furniture, drapery, clothing, etc. - that I remember. The dialogue is probably pretty accurate for it's period - when men and women spoke with an eloquent truth that is missing today.

It also reflects the rough and tumble politics of that era that is missing in today's political world. It was refreshingly honest.

Mary Todd Lincoln is extremely well portrayed by Sally Field. Having seen many photos of her and reading of her personality issues, Ms. Field brought Mary Todd Lincoln to life for me. Daniel Day-Lewis does the same for Lincoln. Both will certainly be nominated for an Academy award and I think they both will win.

Finally, I believe the movie probably captures the essence of Lincoln and his time better than any movie ever has.

We strongly recommend this movie.

 

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Friday Funny - It's A Guy Thing

 

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A Good Day Horseback

Betty and I had a pretty good morning working with Sugar and Morgunn, yesterday (Monday). After we do our ground warm ups, we head towards our mounting block. We use a mounting block every chance we get to preserve Sugar and Morgunn's backs.

 

 

 

We work with both horses in separate areas. Betty starts out in our round pen. This is her heading Morgunn in that direction. I start out by working Sugar in the more open area outside of the round pen. We have four orange cones that we use to work them first in large circles and then in smaller circles using a clover-leaf pattern around the cones.

Working separately gives us the opportunity to work with them without them being distracted by the other horse.

After awhile, we swap and I work Sugar in the round pen and Betty works outside.

 

Of course, after a hard morning's work, a girl has to have a bath, even if it is a dust bath.

 

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Monday Video - Man's Best Friend

Betty and I love our horses, but of all the animal companions in our lives we believe dogs do the most to show their unconditional love for us. Watch this Border Collie do all he can to please his master and to have a little fun with him.

 

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