(image copyright 2008 by Dan Routh)During World War II, my father was stationed at Wattisham near Ipswich, in Suffolk, UK. He was a fighter pilot with the 435th Fighter Squadron, 479th Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force. He flew 39 combat missions in a P-51 Mustang escorting bombers of the 8th over Germany. During his service, he had the opportunity to go into London on leave. He spent VE Day there. Dad always told stories of his experiences, and he often spoke of the red phone boxes he saw all over England. They are still there in places, but becoming fewer in number. This one is in London, near Parliament.
4 comments:
I REALLY LOVE OLD PHONEBOXES AND EVERY CHANCE I GET I GET MY CAMERA OUT AND TAKE A PHOTO BUT I LOVE HOW YOU HAVE KEPT THE RICH RED OF THE PHONEBOX AND MADE EVERYTHING ELSE BLACK AND WHITE. BEAUTIFUL COMPOSITION!.
Kitkat, thank you for your kind comments.
Unknowingly, I started forming a bond with 435th FS and 479FG in 1968, after showing photos of Lt Chester W. Granville's name on the wall of the Missing in Action taken at Cambridge American Cemetary to Chester's Mother. In 1997 I was back at the Cemetary and was given a little more information about Chester by the Director of the Cemetary from the files. Since then I have been researching about Chester and the Fighter Squadron and Group. In the first days of transitioning from P38s to P51s Chester was MIA on a training mission. It was during the research that I corresponded with Gen Gordon Doolittle and also found that my 1964 Air Force Commander Col. Robin Olds had served in the 479th and my wife's British Brides Club friend's husband had been a Cook with the Army at RAF Wattisham and the home of the 435th FS. It has created quite an emotional bond with the Squadron and Group. Larry Wildman, Indianapolis, Indiana
Larry, thank you for your interesting comments. My dad's memories of the 479th FG/435thFS are something I will cherish forever. I had the opportunity to visit Wattisham with my Dad during the 50th anniversary of World War II. Your comments on Col. Olds is interesting. my first name is Robin. My dad named me after "Major" Olds whom he admired greatly. My dad saw Maj. Olds several times before he died and my older son met him at a dinner in Greensboro. He is a wonderful man.
Post a Comment