Lieutenant Dan, Uncle Jack and the B-17

[mickeyd]

(My initial post of this on Bogleheads was locked because it was too OT for them. Hope this passes muster here.)

Gary Sinise pays tribute to his uncle in this well produced tribute to all WWII flyers.

Sit back and relax and enjoy a piece of American history. It may even bring a tear….or two…to your eyes. Wish we had more people in the entertainment industry like Gary Sinise.





http://www.sleepingdogtv.com/reel/Uncle-Jack.aspx

 

[REWahoo]

Thank you mickeyd, that is an outstanding video.

 

[KingB]

Very good video.
Is the B-17 part of the CAF at Harlingen, TX?

 

[LOL!]

A different B-17 that one can fly in: Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress - The Collings Foundation "One of only ten B-17s still flying in the United States, ...."

 

[73ss454]

Cool!

 

[Avalon]

Very nice. Thank you for sharing.

 

[powerplay]

Very nice video. I'm going to have to show this to my dad.

 

[ERD50]

Thank you, very good indeed. I don't have as many military connections as many of you, but this was still very touching. My favorite part:

"You're gonna actually going flying?" - "If you'll go" - "Well sure I'll go"

There wasn't a millisecond hesitation in that answer. Nice for Gary to be able to arrange that for his uncle.

-ERD50

 

[clifp]

(My initial post of this on Bogleheads was locked because it was too OT for them. Hope this passes muster here.)

Gary Sinise pays tribute to his uncle in this well produced tribute to all WWII flyers.

Sit back and relax and enjoy a piece of American history. It may even bring a tear….or two…to your eyes. Wish we had more people in the entertainment industry like Gary Sinise.

/QUOTE]

Gary Sinsie has worked tireless for helping veterans and especially Disable Veterans every since his role in Forrest Gump. I know he has gone to Afghanistan and Iraq dozens of times as part of the USO. Truly this generations Bob Hope. My hat is off to the man another fine piece of work.

 

[mickeyd]

Very good video.
Is the B-17 part of the CAF at Harlingen, TX?

Good Q, but I don't know. It looked like they were flying along South Padre Island, so you could be correct.

 

[unclemick]

Great video.

heh heh heh -

 

[Texas Proud]

A different B-17 that one can fly in: Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress - The Collings Foundation "One of only ten B-17s still flying in the United States, ...."

It is amazing to me there are only 10 left flying....

Per Wiki... 12,731 were built... they gave the unit price... so the cost of all of them were $3 billion!!! (reading further... the price per unit might be different)...

But, they say 13 are airworthy... As of September 2011, 13 airframes remain airworthy, with dozens more in storage or on static display.

 

[JOHNNIE36]

mickeyd, that was a gread clip for history. I love that kind of stuff. And speaking of history, one of the all time great movies about that era was The Memphis Belle. If you've not seen it you really missed a good one. I can't believe what those guys went through. We owe them so much. The Battle of Britian is another good one.

 

[ERD50]

This reminded me of another bit of history. A few years back (more than a few, I guess), on Good Morning America, Robin Roberts did a couple day segment on the Tuskegee Airmen - her father was one of the group in WW2, and later flew in Vietnam. It was a great historical view, and really interesting glimpse into the racial issues of the day, and what a tight family they have. Very inspirational.

I'm not finding any youtube clips on that, but here is the wiki on her father:

Lawrence E. Roberts - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

OK, if you google youtube and Tuskegee airmen, you get some hits - have not watched them yet.

-ERD50

 

[REWahoo]

This reminded me of another bit of history.

Me, too.

In February of 1985 I returned from a business trip, landing at Love Field in Dallas. As I was leaving the terminal to get my car I noticed a WWII Army Staff Car like this one...

...parked in the passenger pickup area. Standing next to it was a Major in a WWII Army uniform. There were also a couple of USAF Security Police and Dallas police officers nearby.

While I stood there wondering what was going on, a short elderly gentleman dressed in a suit came out of the terminal and walked to the car. He looked familiar but I couldn't place who he was.

The Army Major saluted, opened the rear door of the staff car and the old guy got in. The Major then got behind the wheel and drove away, escorted by a Dallas police car and trailed by a USAF Security Police truck.

A couple of days later I saw this in the Dallas paper:

February 24, 1985

Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Jimmy Doolittle -- the man who led the famous B-25 bombing raid on Tokyo during World War II -- was honored Saturday in ceremonies at the University of Texas at Dallas and during a formal testimonial dinner at the Loews Anatole Hotel. Three restored bombers buzzed UT-D during the afternoon to mark the dedication of the Doolittle Library at the History of Aviation Collection.

Although General Doolittle was most famous for leading the Doolittle Raid on Japan in 1942 and receiving the Medal of Honor, his greatest achievement was probably his contribution toward the development instrument flying .

In 1929, he became the first pilot to take off, fly and land an airplane using instruments alone, without a view outside the cockpit.

No doubt that test flight took a huge set of "instruments".

Jimmy Doolittle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Texas Proud]

I looked it up and that plane is now based just a few miles from where I live!!!

If I had not moved, I probably would have seen it from my old house... we lived just south of that airport and saw various small planes land.... I think I would have noticed a B-17.....

The site indicates you can book a ride.... have to look into that... thanks for the link....

 

[Rustward]

Very good video.
Is the B-17 part of the CAF at Harlingen, TX?

King, this B-17 is based at the Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston.

... and the CAF relocated from Harlingen to Midland/Odessa in 1991. I have been visiting them on and off (lately more on than off) since 1979.

Next door neighbor went for a ride in Fifi, the B-29 last week.

 

[Texas Proud]

King, this B-17 is based at the Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston.

... and the CAF relocated from Harlingen to Midland/Odessa in 1991. I have been visiting them on and off (lately more on than off) since 1979.

Next door neighbor went for a ride in Fifi, the B-29 last week.

Per wiki... which also seems to be backed up by their website..

"The Commemorative Air Force’s Gulf Coast Wing "Texas Raiders" group maintains and flies the former PB-1W / B-17G Flying Fortress named "Texas Raiders", which is based at David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (KDWH) in Tomball, Texas."

MAIN DIRECTORY - CAF Goulf Coast Wing

 

[Rustward]

Per wiki... which also seems to be backed up by their website..

"The Commemorative Air Force’s Gulf Coast Wing "Texas Raiders" group maintains and flies the former PB-1W / B-17G Flying Fortress named "Texas Raiders", which is based at David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (KDWH) in Tomball, Texas."

MAIN DIRECTORY - CAF Goulf Coast Wing

The CAF is geographically diverse, with many "wings" in different places. They are an all-volunteer organization and there is no way they could get enough volunteers in any one location to do what they do.

 

[Texas Proud]

The CAF is geographically diverse, with many "wings" in different places. They are an all-volunteer organization and there is no way they could get enough volunteers in any one location to do what they do.

I do not disagree... but the plane is either based in Galveston (as you stated) or at Hooks...

From the website, it seems to fly all over the place... but it also seems to be based at Hooks.... but as noted, I live up here and have not seen it flying around once....

 

[Ronstar]

Great story- thanks for posting! The world needs more guys like Jack and Gary.

 

[Rustward]

Just to clear things up, as far as I can tell, this B-17 and Lone Star Flight Museum are not affiliated with the CAF. Do recall something about Lone Star considering moving inland to reduce their exposure to hurricanes.

I just wanted to be sure I did not leave the impression that someone can just drop in to CAF headquarters in Midland and see all their airplanes. They are spread out across the country. Many do go home for the CAF Airsho every October. We got a little OT talking about the CAF.

There is a CAF B-17 based at Hooks in Tomball.