What a wonderful man, General Anderson was. I love that he considered war stupid and wasteful - he was right. Almost all wars are started by greed, the worst trait Homo sapiens possess's. Reasonable people, like Joe Biden talk and negotiate first. Greedy people, like Netanyahu and Putin use any excuse - not matter how lame - to fight.
I’ve been thinking a lot about this. Autocrats, thugs, and sociopaths rely on the adulation of “ strong men” to keep us “safe”. This ends badly for most people 100 percent of the time.And yet there remains a large percent of “powerful “ people who keep this disgusting and dishonest myth alive.
An excellent tribute to a real hero, one who did a job that he thought was wasteful and dumb (he was right about war). I never met Bud Anderson but I did have a chat with Col. Dick Cole, the last Doolittle Tokyo Raider a couple of years before he died. The Bride's former father-in-law was an ordnance officer on the Hornet and supervised loading the bombs for the April 1942 raid on Japan. He had previously served in the Lexington, so managed to have two carriers shot out from under him. Col. Cole was most gracious and signed a profile painting of the B-25B he and Doolittle flew, which we then gave to the Bride's ex, the son of the Hornet ordnance officer, William Hood. I have found in talking with the few WW2 veterans I have met that most are somewhat quiet, not boastful, and some have expressed what Bud Anderson said. Bud's passing marks the end of an era, one we shall not see again -
"High Flight"
By John Gillespie Magee Jr.
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
of sun-split clouds,—and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of—wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air ....
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
I saw that only once when traveling - in New York, it was the "Star-Spangled Banner" and a flag. In Detroit the year I worked for "Uncle" Jerry Campbell, it was the "Star-Spangled Banner" and then "Oh Canada".....
The guy who wrote that was a young American who joined the RCAF before the US was in the war, and died in a mid-air during training in England. He wrote that after his first flight in a Spitfire, and it was found in his belongings that were sent home. The family had the poem published and it "caught on" as they say.
There’s so much we don’t know Tom, I well educated and I’m astounded by how much I don’t know, at 77 I’m more of a sponge for knowledge now than I have ever been. Thanks for the back story. I’m not a pilot, I grew up in a family of them, which is probably why I was a ground pounder who jumped out of airplanes. That young man was a visionary lost to us way too soon, I totally get why his family published it, can you imagine what it was like for them while going through his personal belongings to find that in the midst of their grief. It must have been like he was reaching from the other side to give them comfort. 🙏
Oops. Pushed send too soon. I am always amazed how many truly heroic military people hate war and think it stupid. It’s usually the folks who’ve never fought in a war that get us into one.
I read the obit this morning and couldn’t help but think how grateful I am that there are still those that document. Thank you. I’m so sorry for your loss of yet another remarkable person.
Sure wish I could share your posts about this hero with my husband. He would be so interested in the history and the personal stories. I’ll enjoy for him, since I spent many hours watching WW2 documentaries with him.
Thank you for this follow-up post including more details of Bud's life, since I don't do NYT and wouldn't have seen it. He was wise to see "war as “stupid and wasteful, not glorious.”"
Thanks for this supplement to your post yesterday. I haven't been reading the NYT and would have missed it. Makes me proud to be a fellow American with a man like him.
Like so many wonderful men & women who lived thru & survived WW II - I believe he and any of them would really question what has happened to this country. As we all do.
I apologize - this post is all about a really good man. BUT
I read on the Intercept that there are Israeli settlers & other groups that are preventing aid trucks from getting into to Gaza - not only that but the IDF - police-military - what have you - are either sitting back & watching or helping!
And the US State Dept. is acting all mealy-mouthed about it.
Topping it off, listened to former Sec. Gates on Face the Nation - not fond of Netanyahu.
Then there is Israeli defense minister who has come right out & gone after Netanyahoooo...
Seriously, enough already - why is the US afraid to say anything or do anything? Whatever law/rule
agreement that has stopped the US from stopping military shipments - this is beyond that. Israel has already been found guilty on the world stage of their treatment of Palestinians. SO?
Most of the 20 American & other country's drs & nurses have left Gaza - three American drs have stayed - the different missions are supposed to rotate medical staff in & out of Gaza - so that there are always a number of them there. There is a fear that if these last three drs leave - no Americans would still be there & the IDF would bomb that hospital - and of course - the patients and the Palestinian drs & nurses would be killed!
I frankly am starting to lean towards the college kids protesting on campuses. I didnt feel that way before.
The Intercept is copying the news from the NYT earlier this past week. In fact, I posted about it earlier here. Can you delete this here and post it on that thread? Thanks.
What a wonderful man, General Anderson was. I love that he considered war stupid and wasteful - he was right. Almost all wars are started by greed, the worst trait Homo sapiens possess's. Reasonable people, like Joe Biden talk and negotiate first. Greedy people, like Netanyahu and Putin use any excuse - not matter how lame - to fight.
I’ve been thinking a lot about this. Autocrats, thugs, and sociopaths rely on the adulation of “ strong men” to keep us “safe”. This ends badly for most people 100 percent of the time.And yet there remains a large percent of “powerful “ people who keep this disgusting and dishonest myth alive.
An excellent tribute to a real hero, one who did a job that he thought was wasteful and dumb (he was right about war). I never met Bud Anderson but I did have a chat with Col. Dick Cole, the last Doolittle Tokyo Raider a couple of years before he died. The Bride's former father-in-law was an ordnance officer on the Hornet and supervised loading the bombs for the April 1942 raid on Japan. He had previously served in the Lexington, so managed to have two carriers shot out from under him. Col. Cole was most gracious and signed a profile painting of the B-25B he and Doolittle flew, which we then gave to the Bride's ex, the son of the Hornet ordnance officer, William Hood. I have found in talking with the few WW2 veterans I have met that most are somewhat quiet, not boastful, and some have expressed what Bud Anderson said. Bud's passing marks the end of an era, one we shall not see again -
"High Flight"
By John Gillespie Magee Jr.
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
of sun-split clouds,—and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of—wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air ....
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark nor even eagle flew—
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
Remember when TV stations signed off for the night with this poem set to video of an F-104 flying through the clouds?
I saw that only once when traveling - in New York, it was the "Star-Spangled Banner" and a flag. In Detroit the year I worked for "Uncle" Jerry Campbell, it was the "Star-Spangled Banner" and then "Oh Canada".....
Maybe it was just Sacramento since there were two air force bases there.
Thank you for that Bruce, that’s beautiful 🙏
The guy who wrote that was a young American who joined the RCAF before the US was in the war, and died in a mid-air during training in England. He wrote that after his first flight in a Spitfire, and it was found in his belongings that were sent home. The family had the poem published and it "caught on" as they say.
There’s so much we don’t know Tom, I well educated and I’m astounded by how much I don’t know, at 77 I’m more of a sponge for knowledge now than I have ever been. Thanks for the back story. I’m not a pilot, I grew up in a family of them, which is probably why I was a ground pounder who jumped out of airplanes. That young man was a visionary lost to us way too soon, I totally get why his family published it, can you imagine what it was like for them while going through his personal belongings to find that in the midst of their grief. It must have been like he was reaching from the other side to give them comfort. 🙏
Oops. Pushed send too soon. I am always amazed how many truly heroic military people hate war and think it stupid. It’s usually the folks who’ve never fought in a war that get us into one.
I read the obit this morning and couldn’t help but think how grateful I am that there are still those that document. Thank you. I’m so sorry for your loss of yet another remarkable person.
Ordered your book and started reading it last night.
I see clearly why you loved that man. They are few, and very far beween.
Sure wish I could share your posts about this hero with my husband. He would be so interested in the history and the personal stories. I’ll enjoy for him, since I spent many hours watching WW2 documentaries with him.
Thank you for this follow-up post including more details of Bud's life, since I don't do NYT and wouldn't have seen it. He was wise to see "war as “stupid and wasteful, not glorious.”"
Thanks for the supplement. You were fortunate to know him.
Thanks for this supplement to your post yesterday. I haven't been reading the NYT and would have missed it. Makes me proud to be a fellow American with a man like him.
Like so many wonderful men & women who lived thru & survived WW II - I believe he and any of them would really question what has happened to this country. As we all do.
That is why we need to work every bit as hard as they did to keep our democracy and the freedoms enshrined in the Constitution alive and well.
Lovely, what a noble guy.
Thanks for the two pieces. That generation of men and women really was something.
I'm sorry about the loss of your friend. And what a life he led!
What a wonderful story. I live in Oakland and it’s great to hear a “local boy does good “ story once in a while.
I apologize - this post is all about a really good man. BUT
I read on the Intercept that there are Israeli settlers & other groups that are preventing aid trucks from getting into to Gaza - not only that but the IDF - police-military - what have you - are either sitting back & watching or helping!
And the US State Dept. is acting all mealy-mouthed about it.
Topping it off, listened to former Sec. Gates on Face the Nation - not fond of Netanyahu.
Then there is Israeli defense minister who has come right out & gone after Netanyahoooo...
Seriously, enough already - why is the US afraid to say anything or do anything? Whatever law/rule
agreement that has stopped the US from stopping military shipments - this is beyond that. Israel has already been found guilty on the world stage of their treatment of Palestinians. SO?
Most of the 20 American & other country's drs & nurses have left Gaza - three American drs have stayed - the different missions are supposed to rotate medical staff in & out of Gaza - so that there are always a number of them there. There is a fear that if these last three drs leave - no Americans would still be there & the IDF would bomb that hospital - and of course - the patients and the Palestinian drs & nurses would be killed!
I frankly am starting to lean towards the college kids protesting on campuses. I didnt feel that way before.
The Intercept is copying the news from the NYT earlier this past week. In fact, I posted about it earlier here. Can you delete this here and post it on that thread? Thanks.
I cant delete it here but can copy & paste when I find the other post.
Somehow I must have missed it.
Thanks!
No thanks required. Tried deleting it but wasnt able to.
Sorry for the rant - too many things just hit me all at once.