In the company of a hero

[evangilder]

What an amazing day yesterday. I was hired to photograph an event for Wish of a Lifetime. The wish was for 93-year-old Marion Rodgers to get to fly in a Mustang again. Yesterday, the wish was fulfilled. Marion Rodgers was one of the Tuskegee airmen. He flew 69 combat missions over Europe from Ramatelli Air Base in Italy with the 99th Fighter Squadron. He retired in 1965 and went to work on the Apollo 12 project as a program manager. He returned to active duty working at NORAD for another 17 years before retiring from the Air Force in 1983.

I flew with Al Kepler in the T-6, taking off 5 minutes ahead of the mustang to do orbitals over the Pacific just north of Ventura. Being able to shoot a Mustang air-to-air is always awesome, but knowing that the man in the back seat is a veteran who flew these machines in WWII made it magic.

 

[Lucky13]

 

[Njaco]

 

[vikingBerserker]

Fricken awesome!

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Awesome experience!

Happy for him as well.

 

[Airframes]

Great stuff Erich !

 

[Siddley]

The smile on his face is priceless...
Great photos too

 

[Capt. Vick]

?

 

[javlin]

Hey Evan was that the "War Horse"? always good to see these guys kick'in.

 

[Gnomey]

Excellent shots Eric!!

 

[Gnomey]

Excellent shots Eric!!

 

[evangilder]

Hey Evan was that the "War Horse"? always good to see these guys kick'in.

No, it was "Man O' War"

 

[javlin]

No, it was "Man O' War"

That's right

 

[ontos]

Great shots Eric of a true American Hero.

 

[GrauGeist]

What a great time Mr. Rogers must have had!

Excellent photos, Eric!

 

[evangilder]

Thanks guys. I should also note that the guy flying the T-34 is a former A-10 pilot. So it was really something!

 

[Wayne Little]

Awesome Eric!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Excellent, what and experience. Thanks for sharing Eric.