[Does so]

My Dad, who turned 97 last month, has an excellent recollection of the SW Pacific theater in which he flew PBY "flying boats". Rescue, surveillance, patrol, bombing, dropping depth charges and torpedoes came with the VP-11 territory of the famed "Black Cat Squadron". His logbook is on the Internet, showing nearly 2500 hours when his duty was over.

Yesterday, when I read to him an account of Japan's "underwater aircraft carriers" (huge submarines with aircraft), he listened carefully, and interrupted me by saying, "Japan only made three of them". He was correct, of course.

Sadly, his doctor called me to say, "Your Dad is likely not to live another six months". Watching an old hero failing in health is tough. :(

[GeronL]

I wish more of them would record their stories

[21twelve]

My old man (RIP) was on a mine sweeper in the Pacific. He told the story of hitching rides on PBY’s for fun. IIRC it was to resupply stuff to spotters on islands. The part I remember (and him too!) was dropping cigarettes/candy to the native women on the beach. Probably just an excuse to get closer as they were topless!

Glad you are able to spend quality time with your father this near the end. Last fall, with my mom a few days before she died at 94, she was still telling stories with names and dates, looking at old photos from the 20’s and putting names to faces of boys she had dated.

[21twelve]

Do you have a link to your father’s log book?

I just got a large box of letters that my mom had from my dad during the war. As a kid I would turn over the mop bucket and sit in our cellar and read those old letters. (Yeah - weird kid!)