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WWII veteran takes final flight on B-24 bomber
The Orange County Register ^ | May 11, 2012 | Jaimee Lynn Fletcher

Posted on 05/12/2012 9:15:01 AM PDT by EveningStar

The roar of the propellers cutting the air is what sparks memories for WWII veteran Howard Mann.

"The sound is the same," he said. "The sound brings it all back."

Mann, 92, was a passenger in the B-24 Liberator "Witchcraft" that took flight from Long Beach to John Wayne Airport on Friday as part of the Wings of Freedom exhibition at the Lyon Air Museum...

The last time Mann was in a B-24 was Jan. 3, 1945, flying over the Pacific...

(Excerpt) Read more at ocregister.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; US: California
KEYWORDS: americans; aviation; b24; heroes; lyonairmuseum; realamericans; wingsoffreedom; witchcraft; wwii
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1 posted on 05/12/2012 9:15:11 AM PDT by EveningStar
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To: abigail2; AgThorn; al baby; BAW; bboop; BenLurkin; Bob J; Brad's Gramma; BunnySlippers; bunster; ...
SoCal Ping!

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Attention Southern Californians

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Please ping me with any Southern California related articles. Thank you!

If you want on or off this ping list, please FReepmail me.

2 posted on 05/12/2012 9:16:13 AM PDT by EveningStar
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To: EveningStar

The Greatest Generation!


3 posted on 05/12/2012 9:18:18 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Julia: another casualty of the "War on Poverty")
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To: 04-Bravo; 1FASTGLOCK45; 1stFreedom; 2ndDivisionVet; 60Gunner; 6AL-4V; A.A. Cunningham; ...
Aviation and Aerospace ping

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Please ping me to aviation and aerospace articles. Thank you.

If you want added to or removed from this ping list, please contact EveningStar or Paleo Conservative.

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4 posted on 05/12/2012 9:19:21 AM PDT by EveningStar
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The Collings Foundation WITCHCRAFT.


5 posted on 05/12/2012 9:24:45 AM PDT by A.A. Cunningham (Barry Soetoro is a Kenyan communist)
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To: SkyDancer

Have you seen this? Cool story


6 posted on 05/12/2012 9:28:49 AM PDT by wastedyears (There can be only one.)
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To: EveningStar
For 13 days, he and the other nine men in the crew floated in a raft, caught rainwater to survive and had nothing to eat.

I have a little sea time, but I cant even imagine that.

7 posted on 05/12/2012 9:36:23 AM PDT by Delta 21 (Oh Crap !! Did I say that out loud ??!??)
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To: EveningStar

This guy was in from 1938 - 1945 AND flew in Korea and Vietnam.

Just freaking amazing.


8 posted on 05/12/2012 9:46:11 AM PDT by VeniVidiVici (The Democrat Ku Klux Klan is alive and well - Ogletree, Sharpton, Williams, Jackson)
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To: EveningStar; mickie
Bless his heart.

May he live to see flying automobiles over his head........

(....on the other hand......)

Leni

9 posted on 05/12/2012 9:50:30 AM PDT by MinuteGal
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To: A.A. Cunningham
Wonderful plane. I was aboard it when it was known as the All American, and I have been on the nine-o-nine as well.

It tells you something about the men who flew in them in combat. I'm amazed they could take off with all those 'brass ones' on board.

10 posted on 05/12/2012 10:01:02 AM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing)
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To: Smokin' Joe

Neat story, happy the ol guy got another chance to fell the memory.

Had the good fortune to fly on one of Collin’s B-25s as I have been a Dolittle fan since Grade School. The “feel of the sound” made you immediately think of the bravery of all those young guys. I know not one of them felt a second’s fear when taking off the deck and heading for Tokyo!!!!


11 posted on 05/12/2012 10:30:32 AM PDT by X-spurt (Its time for ON YOUR FEET or on your knees)
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To: A.A. Cunningham

I saw the plane fly back into JWA yesterday. Great sight.


12 posted on 05/12/2012 10:47:28 AM PDT by chrisinoc
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To: EveningStar; SeraphimApprentice; zot; Interesting Times; Alamo-Girl

Thank you for the post. The nose turret was my father’s “office” on the Liberator during WWII.


13 posted on 05/12/2012 10:56:29 AM PDT by GreyFriar (Spearhead - 3rd Armored Division 75-78 & 83-87)
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To: VeniVidiVici

This girl I know father was a ball turret gunner on a B24. He was picked because he was small.
It took a lot of guts to fly into enemy guns in one of those and more guts to sit exposed under the airplane while every gun in Germany is aimed at you.
Bravo to both the USAAF and the RAF....


14 posted on 05/12/2012 11:00:01 AM PDT by Yorlik803 (better to die on your feet than live on your knees.)
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To: EveningStar

Liberator bump


15 posted on 05/12/2012 11:02:15 AM PDT by NonValueAdded (Chen Guangcheng: Gutsy call, Obama /UltraMegaDrippingSarc)
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To: A.A. Cunningham; windcliff; stylecouncilor

I coach high school baseball, and saw this and a B-17 fly over our field last week. The other coach’s couldn’t have cared less, but the kids were very enthused when I pointed out what they were, and scrambled to get a look as long as they could. They said they had been studying WWII in their history classes and were glad to be able to see some of its symbols still in the air.

Beautiful photo, A.A. Thanks for posting it.


16 posted on 05/12/2012 11:18:43 AM PDT by onedoug
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To: EveningStar; abigail2; AgThorn; al baby; BAW; bboop; BenLurkin; Bob J; Brad's Gramma; ...

Two excellent books to ready about B-24’s in the Pacific. There is a chance that the veteran was in the group in “Finish Forty [missions] and Home” by Phil Scearce; his own story of his time as a B-24 crew chief and gunner during WWII.

The second is “Unbroken - the story of Louis Zamperini” by Laura Hillenbrand


17 posted on 05/12/2012 11:21:24 AM PDT by GreyFriar (Spearhead - 3rd Armored Division 75-78 & 83-87)
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To: X-spurt
The “feel of the sound”...

Probably the best way I have ever seen that put. Well said.

I have seen a static display Mitchell, but never been on board.

Theirs was indeed a great generation. May we live to see another, and may they not have to bleed as much to show it.

18 posted on 05/12/2012 11:29:25 AM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing)
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To: EveningStar; All
Wonerful article..thanks for posting...

I'd take exception to the headline's term.."veteran takes FINAL flight.."

Hopefully the guy lives until he's 100, and he gets to go up in the bomber a few more times..

19 posted on 05/12/2012 11:50:46 AM PDT by ken5050 (FRACK Obama!!!)
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To: X-spurt
Had the good fortune to fly on one of Collin’s B-25s as I have been a Dolittle fan since Grade School. The “feel of the sound” made you immediately think of the bravery of all those young guys.

Here is my uncle (top left), his crew, and his B-25 during WWII. He was the pilot

Charlie, B25-01, Unknown island location during WWII.  5th Air Force.

20 posted on 05/12/2012 12:02:48 PM PDT by OldMissileer (Atlas, Titan, Minuteman, PK. Winners of the Cold War)
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