airtwardo 6 #1 January 20, 2014 60 years ago this August my mother's brother was killed when his F-84 flamed out over New Jersey. A highly skilled and decorated fighter pilot in Korea, he could have easily just punched out...but he didn't. He was over a city, more accurately he was over a school with a couple hundred kids playing outside. In what must have been a less than split second decision, he took the jet straight in...nose vertical, into the intersection of the widest street around. A block away from the playground. The impact created a 12 foot deep hole, 45 feet in diameter. The fireball must have been immense, several homes received damage...one civilian on the ground died later from burn injuries. 'Uncle Bill' was written up as a hero in newspapers nationwide back then...my Mom kept a scrapbook. She and he were very close, he being the oldest & she the youngest of a fairly large family, Bill looked after her when they were kids. I'd seen the scrapbook and heard the story many times...my middle name is William, after Mom's big brother. Uncle Bill left a wife and two kids. From what I understand, it took some years, but eventually the wife remarried they all got on with their lives. Things like that tend to leave some distinct separation in that what was once 'family' no longer has that connection...Mom may have known where her brother's children were, but never spoke about it. I remember meeting a 'cousin' once back in 1969...He was driving through the area in his brand new GTO ragtop. An Army helicopter pilot, he'd just returned from Vietnam and was enroute to a new base someplace...It was of course Bill's son, he was just stopping by to say hello...introduce himself. He and my Mom talked for hours...I thought he was the coolest thing walkin' upright! Never heard from him again...I did try to find him some years back at Mom's request. Using that 'internet thing' she was hopeful I might be able to track him down as I had his younger sister. I did come across a possible email address which I sent a query to... Took about a year before an answer came back and unfortunately by that time Mom had passed away. Cousin Bruce and I have had a few somewhat interesting phone conversations...He's a retired 747 Captain, Couple kids of his own. Likes boats & bikes, in fact coincidentally he & I have the same model and year Harley. Seems like a really nice guy, I look forward to meeting him 'again' one of these days... Especially now. I just got off the phone with Bruce...a quite long and emotional conversation. Halfway into it I realized he's certainly IS from Mom's side of the family...big heart, good soul. He'd just opened an envelope I sent last week...in it were his fathers Silver Wings from the Air Force. My mother had kept them in her bedroom vanity, top drawer all by itself for years. She gave them to me when I was about 18 and was working on my private pilot ticket and started skydiving...I kept them in my flight bag whenever I flew. I also wore them some years later on my jumpsuit for my Gold Wings jump. Dad & Mom were at the DZ for that, and when she saw her big brothers wings over my heart for the occasion...she did shed a tear. I recently came across those Silver Wings while going through a box of treasures I'd forgotten about. They were in that storage I finally just closed out in Sandyeggo. I mailed them off with a short letter describing the journey they had been on, that though they did mean very much to me...I felt that I was merely taking care of them, until he and I perhaps met up someday. I'm sure my Mother would have wanted Bruce to have them, I know his Father would have... I told Cousin Bruce in our talk this morning that I really wish we'd have connected up a few years ago...that my Mom had wanted to speak with him, let him know that she cared. Bruce told me that when he opened that envelope this morning...She had spoken to him, and her words were more than comforting. ...Like I said, a rather emotional conversation - for BOTH of us! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiver30960 0 #2 January 20, 2014 Touching! Elvisio "Bravo, Sir" Rodriguez Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,030 #3 January 21, 2014 "Never Forget."Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LuckyMcSwervy 0 #4 January 21, 2014 Wow! That is quite a proud family history. It's really sweet you kept the wings with you on so many important occasions. I can't imagine the feeling your cousin had when he had his Dad's wings in his hands for the fist time. Just wow. Where in New Jersey did the crash occur? I'm curious because I've been told a somewhat similar account of a crash down my way, closer to the dropzone, but I think the years may be off. You're a good man, Mr. Twardo. Always be kinder than you feel. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 6 #5 January 21, 2014 It wasn't New Jersey...New York. I was kinda in a hurry when I wrote that this morning, wanted to get some thoughts down & hit the road. ~Should have proof read it...http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1915&dat=19540804&id=4woiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pXIFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5465,354694 http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/whweiland.htm ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Meux 0 #6 January 21, 2014 Thanks for sharing, great story. When I got my Silver Wings from the Air Force we promptly took those wings off our uniform and broke them in half. The idea was that the first time we crossed an ocean we'd throw one half of the broken wings in the ocean and keep the other half. The saying at the time was, "May these be the only wings you ever break". I've been lucky so far, and hope to never break another set of wings. No offense intended to anyone, but I think USAF Pilot Wings are the best looking of any institution, military or civilian. Just my opinion. I can't imagine the courage it took to take a jet straight in. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TriGirl 268 #7 January 21, 2014 Even in a hurry, you tell the greatest stories! Thanks for sharing, Twardo. See the upside, and always wear your parachute! -- Christopher Titus Shut Up & Jump! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davjohns 1 #8 January 21, 2014 Excellent write-up. Touching story. Thank you for sharing.I know it just wouldnt be right to kill all the stupid people that we meet.. But do you think it would be appropriate to just remove all of the warning labels and let nature take its course. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #9 January 21, 2014 nice...You too,,, are from your Mothers side of the family BiG Heart....Good Soul...sorry for the loss of your Uncle...It must have been nerve-wracking, to have to worry about those wings,,, while they were "in transit". do they even OFFER insurance??? when something has a (SENTIMENTAL ) value of Millions of Dollars?????? Good to Know that they reached their destination. Your Uncle and your Mom would be proud of you..... you're a "good nephew" . jmy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 6 #10 January 21, 2014 Thanks Jimmy... And yeah I was a bit apprehensive sending them off through the mail, but what are ya gonna do. Cuz lives on the east coast & even with best laid plans I wasn't 100% sure when I'd see him face to face...Bruce is a retired 747 driver - he's 69 now & I didn't see the point of waiting even a day getting the wings to him once I came across them. A few months back I sent him a squadron patch that his dad sent my mother from Korea...still had the envelope & letter that were with it. He was pretty excited and very thankful when he got that...I figured receiving those wings would be top shelf. Guess I was right, he called me 2 minutes after opening the envelope...voice cracking - breathing hard. His 'following the family footsteps' so to speak with flying a slick in Vietnam and later a heavy for a major - - I'm sure more significance was in that little envelope than I could ever possibly imagine. Pretty cool...sometimes the smallest things hold the greatest value. ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkyDekker 1,101 #11 January 21, 2014 What a great story....and an even greater gesture! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 3 #12 February 4, 2014 Jim, I have told you this before….I am proud to be your friend. SparkyMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites