It truely is a great thread!
Some pics of inspiration
- Thread starter Njaco
- Start date
Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules
- Thread starter
- #162
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
Thanks guys. I have a few more pics but gonna wait a little.
- Thread starter
- #163
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
Aaron Brooks Wolters
Brigadier General
Velius
Airman 1st Class
I finally went through this entire thread; many of the images, stories, and poems here are very powerful and brought tears to my eyes also.
My father was drafted during the Vietnam War. Instead of Vietnam he was stationed in Germany and never saw action. After the war, he transferred to the National Guard and severed as a mechanic until retiring less than a year ago. I grew up seeing him in fatigues, and when he wasn't away on drill he was here at home working on the house or on the cars. My father is my inspiration and has been a big influence in my life.
About a year ago my oldest sister enlisted in the air force. She graduated from boot camp with honors and was later stationed briefly in Rota Spain. So far, she enjoys being in the service and has been doing very well. She is also very inspirational for me (everyone in my immediate family is; my parents and my three older sisters).
The circumstances in my life took me on a different path from joining any service after high school. I went to a technical school and trained as an A&P mechanic. I then got a job at a nearby private company that does contracts with air force C-130s. I work with a lot of other people; some are older and had prior service in the military (army, air force, and a few navy). Others are like myself; younger with no prior service. I am not a serviceman, I am a civilian, but I am privileged to work on aircraft that are used by our military. I'd like to think of myself and fellow co-workers as different kinds of servicemen. We may not be directly in the service right now but we are doing what we can to help out those who are. For those in the service; thanks for all that you do, it does not go unnoticed; I hope that our contributions, and those of other civilians, helps you all out in some way.
Sorry to rant, but I felt like writing this after viewing this thread. Thanks for reading.
Here's a poem I found some time ago that I haven't seen posted up. It is a tribute to aviation mechanics, but I also think of all other mechanics when I read it. After all, our military might is largely dependant on vehicles.
The Forgotten Man
By 1/Lt Joe E. Seward
Through the history of world aviation
Many names have come to the fore,
Great deeds of the past in our memory will last
As they are followed by more and more.
When man first started his labor
In his quest to conquer the sky
He was designer, mechanic, and pilot,
And he built a machine that would fly.
But somehow the order got twisted,
And then in the public's eye,
The man who got all the glory
Was the man who knew how to fly.
The pilot was everyone's hero,
He was brave, he was bold, he was grand,
As he stood by his battered old biplane
With his goggles and helmet in hand.
To be sure, these pilots all earned it,
To fly then you had to have guts.
And they blazed their names in the hall of fame
On wings with bailing wire struts.
But for each of these flying heroes
There were thousands of little renown,
And these were the men who worked on the planes
But kept their feet on the ground.
We all know the name of Lindbergh,
And we've read of his flight into fame,
But think, if you can, of his maintenance man,
Can you remember his name?
And think of our wartime heroes,
Gabreski, Jabara, and Scott.
Can you tell me the names of their crew chiefs?
A thousand to one you cannot.
Now pilots are highly trained people,
And wings are not easily won,
But without the work of the maintenance man
Our pilots would march with a gun.
So when you see mighty jet aircraft
As they mark their paths through the air,
The grease-stained man with the wrench in his hand
Is the man who put them there.
My father was drafted during the Vietnam War. Instead of Vietnam he was stationed in Germany and never saw action. After the war, he transferred to the National Guard and severed as a mechanic until retiring less than a year ago. I grew up seeing him in fatigues, and when he wasn't away on drill he was here at home working on the house or on the cars. My father is my inspiration and has been a big influence in my life.
About a year ago my oldest sister enlisted in the air force. She graduated from boot camp with honors and was later stationed briefly in Rota Spain. So far, she enjoys being in the service and has been doing very well. She is also very inspirational for me (everyone in my immediate family is; my parents and my three older sisters).
The circumstances in my life took me on a different path from joining any service after high school. I went to a technical school and trained as an A&P mechanic. I then got a job at a nearby private company that does contracts with air force C-130s. I work with a lot of other people; some are older and had prior service in the military (army, air force, and a few navy). Others are like myself; younger with no prior service. I am not a serviceman, I am a civilian, but I am privileged to work on aircraft that are used by our military. I'd like to think of myself and fellow co-workers as different kinds of servicemen. We may not be directly in the service right now but we are doing what we can to help out those who are. For those in the service; thanks for all that you do, it does not go unnoticed; I hope that our contributions, and those of other civilians, helps you all out in some way.
Sorry to rant, but I felt like writing this after viewing this thread. Thanks for reading.
Here's a poem I found some time ago that I haven't seen posted up. It is a tribute to aviation mechanics, but I also think of all other mechanics when I read it. After all, our military might is largely dependant on vehicles.
The Forgotten Man
By 1/Lt Joe E. Seward
Through the history of world aviation
Many names have come to the fore,
Great deeds of the past in our memory will last
As they are followed by more and more.
When man first started his labor
In his quest to conquer the sky
He was designer, mechanic, and pilot,
And he built a machine that would fly.
But somehow the order got twisted,
And then in the public's eye,
The man who got all the glory
Was the man who knew how to fly.
The pilot was everyone's hero,
He was brave, he was bold, he was grand,
As he stood by his battered old biplane
With his goggles and helmet in hand.
To be sure, these pilots all earned it,
To fly then you had to have guts.
And they blazed their names in the hall of fame
On wings with bailing wire struts.
But for each of these flying heroes
There were thousands of little renown,
And these were the men who worked on the planes
But kept their feet on the ground.
We all know the name of Lindbergh,
And we've read of his flight into fame,
But think, if you can, of his maintenance man,
Can you remember his name?
And think of our wartime heroes,
Gabreski, Jabara, and Scott.
Can you tell me the names of their crew chiefs?
A thousand to one you cannot.
Now pilots are highly trained people,
And wings are not easily won,
But without the work of the maintenance man
Our pilots would march with a gun.
So when you see mighty jet aircraft
As they mark their paths through the air,
The grease-stained man with the wrench in his hand
Is the man who put them there.
RabidAlien
1st Lieutenant
Vic Balshaw
Major General
I really admire the spirit of human nature, it may seem a sad world, but it's full of those golden moments. Great thread Chris.
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Very nice!
- Thread starter
- #169
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
mudpuppy
Senior Airman
Indeed! Thank you to our veterans!
Derek
Derek
B-17engineer
Colonel
Will be visiting Arlington on Thursday.
Lucky13
Forum Mascot
Thank you seems so inadequate, for the ultimate sacrifice in their duties. One can only hope that others, honour their memory, by picking up where they left of, so that they won't have done this in vain....
RabidAlien
1st Lieutenant
To all who have served, and especially to those who paid the ultimate price.
Aaron Brooks Wolters
Brigadier General
ToughOmbre
Senior Master Sergeant
TO
RabidAlien
1st Lieutenant
The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example. - Benjamin Disraeli
Each man is a hero and an oracle to somebody. -Ralph Waldo Emerson
But the freedom that they fought for, and the country grand they wrought for,
Is their monument to-day, and for aye. -Thomas Dunn English
For love of country they accepted death... -James A. Garfield
The greatest glory of a free-born people is to transmit that freedom to their children. -William Havard
The dead soldier's silence sings our national anthem. -Aaron Kilbourn
For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity. -William Penn
On thy grave the rain shall fall from the eyes of a mighty nation! -Thomas William Parsons
The brave die never, though they sleep in dust:
Their courage nerves a thousand living men. -Minot J. Savage
We come, not to mourn our dead soldiers, but to praise them. -Francis A. Walker
And I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me. -Lee Greenwood
Each man is a hero and an oracle to somebody. -Ralph Waldo Emerson
But the freedom that they fought for, and the country grand they wrought for,
Is their monument to-day, and for aye. -Thomas Dunn English
For love of country they accepted death... -James A. Garfield
The greatest glory of a free-born people is to transmit that freedom to their children. -William Havard
The dead soldier's silence sings our national anthem. -Aaron Kilbourn
For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity. -William Penn
On thy grave the rain shall fall from the eyes of a mighty nation! -Thomas William Parsons
The brave die never, though they sleep in dust:
Their courage nerves a thousand living men. -Minot J. Savage
We come, not to mourn our dead soldiers, but to praise them. -Francis A. Walker
And I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me. -Lee Greenwood
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
RabidAlien
1st Lieutenant
Found this on a site I get resources for running the videos/music backgrounds at church...not a big fan of civilians saluting, but its a powerful message so I can ignore that part.
On this Memorial Day I want to post some pics to remember. Thank you for the sacrifice.
A bit late, but non the less...Amen !
