From time to time I check the online obits for my old home town, sadly with the passage of time I'm more frequently seeing familiar names appear
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I met a very distinguished gentleman here about a week ago who was one of the pilots in the last B-29 bombing raid over Japan (yes, after the A-bombs were dropped). He almost didn't survive that mission because of mechanical troubles on the way back, but thankfully was able to divert to Iwo Jima and land on an emergency runway that had just been completed.
He said he ran up to the first Marine he could find and hugged him and thanked him for building the airstrip!
I thank you for writing this about my grandfather. I am the oldest grandchild/grandson. He was truly a great man, who I always loved listening to, talking with, and spending time with. Many things that he told me over the years, especially my senior year before joining the Navy, still stick with me today. Poppop never talked about his missions, there are just some things that you do not and cannot talk about. In time when I am ready, my dad and I will sit down and I will find out all that I have been wanting to know. For the past 25 years, the high light of each year would be when I would make it back to Pennsville for a visit and stop to see him. But nothing will top when at my Navy retirement, after having the Flag passed to me, I marched over and passed it on to him. That Flag now rest with great Honor and Respect in my house
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He said he ran up to the first Marine he could find and hugged him and thanked him for building the airstrip!
I thanked him for his service (no hugs though).
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