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Posted on 12/02/2007 5:38:09 PM PST by george76
Jim Doyle held a wooden frame displaying the numerous medals showing his service in World War II.
Many would call him a hero, but that does not change his own perception.
The Pearl Harbor survivor — who will join other survivors at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 7, on the footsteps of the Capitol Building to honor those who lost their lives more than 66 years ago — talked about the true heroes.
"I don't think doing my duty makes me a hero," Doyle said. "I think the real heroes are the kids who got killed and never came back."
Doyle was a U.S. Navy aerial photographer first class during his four years in the armed forces, and he narrowly escaped death many times.
The 84-year-old joined the military in his late teens so he could learn to fly. Raised on a farm in Meeker, he always had loved the crop dusting planes and wanted to learn to pilot the crafts.
That started him on a path that left him at Pearl Harbor the fateful day the Japanese attacked on Dec. 7, 1941.
Doyle ...billeted in the airplane hangar at Ford Island, under the planes when the attack began.
"I woke up with this noise and didn't know what was going on," Doyle said. "The air was filled with Japanese aircraft flying about 20 feet off the ground, and they were smiling at us and waving at us and trying to kill us.
When the attack finally died down, he and 10 other pilots found functioning aircraft left and flew into the Pacific Ocean looking for the Japanese aircraft carriers.
They were lucky the Japanese did not find them as they likely would have been gunned down, but all the planes were not so lucky in returning...
(Excerpt) Read more at jeffconews.com ...
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He fought in the Battle of New Guinea, and then he lost all of his possessions in the Battle of the Coral Sea.
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There’s the contrast with the Kerrys and Murthas for you.
Real heroes never beat their chests.
Well, he’s a hero in my eyes.
Disagree. True cowards sometimes die, and real heroes sometimes live.
Sir, Mr. Jim Doyle, you are a Hero. Each who has served is a Hero. America counted on each one, Sir. Each of you came through for America, and did not let America down. May your rewards be ever there for you, Sir. I fail more times than not, to express the proper words necessary to each who has placed themselves in harm way for this Nation. But Sir, my appreciation to each and every one who has Served our Nation, and my appreciation to all Serving Now. I hope our honoring of our Heroes, goes on, forever, and forever, Sir, for that Honor is well placed and much deserved. Thank You, Sir! May God Bless You, and Yours.
"I don't think doing my duty makes me a hero," Doyle said. "I think the real heroes are the kids who got killed and never came back."Yesterday I read a paperback that was around, regarding the Houston, second by that name to serve in WWII, which was nearly sunk, twice. It's not a particularly riveting (sorry) book, but two or three (maybe more, I read it in the early morning hours) of the crew of that ship had been on one or more other ships and had them shot out from under them during the war. I guess I'll have to differ with Mr. Doyle regarding whether survivors of battles are heroes or not. :') Thanks george76.
His 30,000 feet error might be contributed to this:
“The tremor from the crash jostled his brain inside his head, causing memory loss and a loss of consciousness for 20 days.
He was honorably medically discharged in 1943, heading home to recover from his wounds.
Decades later he still suffers from the crash. The impact to his skull has lead to Parkinson’s disease and dementia.”
Lets give this hero a little slack.
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An AG3 jumped into a Navy plane and flew a mission? I don’t think so. The (few) enlisted Navy pilots were chiefs and flew support aircraft.
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