WW II Vets take to the air again in B-17 over Kansas

[Valkhound]

 
Al Murphy in this story is my Uncle from Wichita,Kansas. He enlisted when he was 17 and  piloted 35 missions in a B-17 in WW II. Was MIA for 10 days  after having to bail out  over enemy territory.All of this and back home to Kansas when he was still only 20 years old.Heck of a lot of responsibility for a young farm boy! I'm mighty proud of him and others like him  who served their Country and made huge sacrifices to preserve our freedoms.

He got the chance to relive his B-17 flying days yesterday in Salina,Kansas when he once again took to the sky as part of "The Wings of Freedom Tour".Below is the story from a local TV station. Go to the link at the bottom of the story to see video .

   Thanks Uncle Al !!! 

    Dana

 

By Melody Pettit
 
KWCH 12 Eyewitness News
 
10:10 p.m. CDT, July 12, 2010
E-mail Print Share  Text Size kwch-news-rc-salina-warplanes

(SALINA, Kan.) —
"I think i could just take off in it myself."     


Eighty-six year-old Al Murphy is pretty confident he could fly the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress on display in Salina this week. It wouldn't be his first time. He went on 35 misssions in one as a first pilot in World War II.

"We bailed once in Yugoslavia and I was MIA for ten days."

When he heard the Wings of Freedom was bringing a B-17 to town, he jumped at the chance to fly once again.

"I think it's exciting to hear the roar of the engines reliving the old days."

A crowd watched and took pictures as the impressive planes came in. Murphy and two other veterans got in and climbed 1,000 feet above Salina as part of the Wings of Freedom Tour.

In the air, it didn't take Murphy long before he was at home, exploring the plane and re-living what happened 65 years ago.

"We got shot at. You think of those things."

Wings of Freedom travels to 130 cities a year giving veterans like Murphy a chance, for some there last chance to remember.

"It meant so much to me, gave me some closure."


In addition to the B-17, a B-24 Liberator heavy bomber and a P-51 Mustang fighter plane are in town through Wednesday.



http://www.kwch.com/news/kwch-news-rc-salina-warplanes,0,6039886.story

[gregc]

Very intererting story. I just visited the Air Museum at Dover Air Force base over 4 th of July. Got to see the real B 17 in their indoor hanger.  Not a very big plane, by todays standards.  There is a jet engine from a galaxy starlifter sitting right in front of the B17,  the jet engines intake is as big around as the B 17 main body.

[¿spoom]

Very cool
I got the opportunity to go up in a different one a few weeks ago;

[Black Pearl's Captain]

That a great thing Dana,  Thanks to Uncle Al!!

Raymond

[¿spoom]

I think they let me play waist gunner because they'd never get me stuffed in through the ball gunner's hatch 

[¿spoom]

That's so cool your uncle got to get back in one. Did he think it seemed bigger/smaller than he remembered? Amazing anyone came back from those things, glad he was one of them.

[grey ghost]

Dana, thanks for the post. My uncle also got to ride in the b-17 this summer. He wa a ball gunner during WWII. It was a thrill for him to get to board her one more time...And thanks to all that did it in the air, on the ground and on the sea!!!!!

[Thunderbolt]

and I'm glad he got to take another ride too.  Thanks for posting the link.

[Skinhead]

Hey Dana,

Missed you at Inzane X.  It was a large time! 


Tell Uncle Al Thanks, There aren't many of them left, although he looks pretty well preserved.  A very brave man!  I understand why you are proud of him.

Skinhead

[Oss]

they came to Westchester Airport last summer and I went thru the b17 and 24   

Thanks for that post and we can never thank the vets enough for their service

[Hoser]

Good stuff, Dana!  Hoser 

[RP#62]

Hey spoom? that one lives down the street from us.
-RP