Another Memorial Day is coming upon us and we are sinking slowly into the morass that Barack Obama has created. I am frankly surprised that a community organizer can do this much harm.
Anyway, memories of better times beckon.
That was 1944 and I was welcoming home my cousin Arthur G Kerrison who was home on leave. He was a bombardier with the 301st Bomb Group, 352nd Squadron in North Africa.
Here is another photo of him.
This one is with his sister, Marion, and yours truly about 1943 or early 1944 since it seems to be in front of the house we moved from in November 1944. “Bud” as he was known in the family, completed his training at Roswell, NM and went over seas to join the 15th Air Force in North Africa. His first mission was in June of 1943 over Leghorn Italy. His 50th was in January 1944. He must have been home after he completed his missions.
My own service was at home in California with the 146th Air Transport Command and I saw no combat. The worst danger was the drive to Van Nuys Airport.
I did try to teach the girls about the history of war and its cost in France in 2006.
There they are at Utah Beach.
And at Omaha Beach
And in the US military cemetery above Omaha Beach.
This is me wearing the medals that were sent to me by a member of Bud’s squadron who was shot down before I received them.
Please remember them. We owe them our freedom.
Tags: History
May God bless all of them, their families and friends. Nice pics, Mike K!
I idolized Bud. When he came home from the war, he moved into our basement for a while and slept on an army cot. I insisted my father get me another army cot so I could sleep down there with him.
What terrific photos and what a wonderful trip that must have been with your family. That was kind of that squadron member of Bud’s to send you those medals. Do you still have them? I just went to Oregon to visit a friend and we went to the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum where the Spruce Goose now lays (bad pun intended). There is an SR71 and a DC3 and lots of great aircraft and spacecraft too. We say the Corsair that was the model that my friends uncle died in when he was shot down after he shot down many enemy planes in WWII. If you are ever in Oregon it’s worth the trip to McMinnville to see it.