Alwaysawarrior

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BLUE SKIES AND SUNSHINE

In the early morning I look up skyward
Into that beautiful wild blue yonder
I think of a man who I admired greatly

He told us of the things he experienced
He set the examples for us all to follow
He was a very kind and generous person

Who had shared his vast knowledge of flying
A very skilled combat pilot flying our plane
For our search & rescue missions in the CAP

These initials stand for Civil Air Patrol
If a plane was over due or had been missing
We would mount a search & rescue operation

I knew that he was a former fighter pilot
He had flown with the AVG based in China
The American Volunteer Group Flying Tigers

He had a very distinguished flying career
During his time flying in World War Two
He lived and breathed flying all the time

We shared thoughts of our love for flying
At times he gave us free flying lessons
And on Sunday's he'd let us fly for awhile

I join the Air Force partly because of him
While in Vietnam I would fly at any chance
Volunteering to go along to drop leaflets

There were times when we were asked to fly
Some pilots needed a trained observer along
At those times I'd eagerly volunteer to fly

It was dangerous and wasn't required of me
But the memories of me flying called to me
I knew and trusted the pilots who flew me

These guys were some of the best over there
Their skills and professionalism were great
While watching this blue sky I do reminisce

I surly miss the days of my youth & flying
Both during search and rescue saving lives
And in war where we flew volunteer missions

© Terry Sasek - Alwaysawarrior - all rights reserved.

Reposted and dedicated to a great friend and airman
Lt.Colonel William Ryan USAF-RET. who was our pilot
for our own Michigan Civil Air Patrol 633-2 Search
and Rescue Squadron I had joined during high school
and after graduating I had served as one of our own
trained observers to search for over due or missing
planes searching along the land of Michigan and the
Great Lakes region too from 1966 until 1968 at which
time I had enlisted into the U.S. Air Force and I'd
eventually volunteer for service in South Vietnam.
I would often volunteer to go along on missions over
the Cambodian border to drop what were called Chu Hoi
leaflets over the enemy areas which told them that if
they'd come over to the South Vietnamese side, they
would be guaranteed safe passage and would be treated
very well by the South Vietnamese military. It was a
very dangerous duty to go flying over these areas of
the Cambodian border region and I'm sure that had we
been shot down during these volunteer missions, we'd
certainly would not have been treated well by the VC.

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BLUE SKIES AND SUNSHINE