U.S.S. Hornet and a pizza run. . .

**clipper1801** · 05-06-2015 23:42

Stopped in for a take and bake pizza and saw an elderly gent wearing a Navy cap with the Hornet embroidered on it. I asked him about it and that I was a fan of the ship's service and he got a smile on that told me he had been on it! He served on her for four years including the Doolittle raid! He was in his 80's now and he had been the signal guy who set up the landing alignments as the planes came in, described his hand paddles. We talked for half an hour! After giving him my card and thanking him and his generation his patient wife said they would call for another visit over a cooked pizza. What a neat encounter : )

**Jager** · 05-07-2015 00:10

Amazing

Karl

**Guntruck** · 05-07-2015 00:43

Nice one Dave. And he probably enjoyed the fact that someone was interested. My mate's dad doesn't say a lot, but when you ask him about his service in Sunderlands and he realises you are genuinely interested, he is a font of information.

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 05-07-2015 04:24

Most times you just have to engage with them. I have had some fascinating chats to ex servicemen when putting on my Living History Gunsmithing re enactment displays, or chatting to the Ex Services charity collectors.
Rob.

**Gotham Resident** · 05-07-2015 06:18

Very nice!

**Lt. S.Kafloc** · 05-07-2015 07:57

Superb David. What a gem. Are you going to meet with him again?

**clipper1801** · 05-07-2015 08:23

Originally Posted by Skafloc

Superb David. What a gem. Are you going to meet with him again?

I hope so, he was very interesting and open about his days in the war. These people are quickly disappearing and their stories are very precious.

**Flying Helmut** · 05-07-2015 11:30

Originally Posted by clipper1801

These people are quickly disappearing and their stories are very precious.

Very true! Hope you do get another chance to chat with him.

**Tonx** · 05-07-2015 12:12

I hope you do get to meet up with this Gentleman again. The Doolittle Raid was history in the making and sadly like you said such people are disappearing from this life ... Never to be replaced.

**BobP** · 05-07-2015 13:14

You never know who will meet and the stories you can get if you ask a question. I was in the PX at Ft Meade and saw a guy with a WWII vet hat. I thanked him and he told me he was a in the Bataan Death March. I thanked him again.

Last year at the Wings Over the Beach I was walking around..I wear my ASA Viet Nam vet hat.. and a guy came up with an ASA hat on. Asked me where I was and I told him at the 8th. I guess I was his replacement since he left 7 days before I got there.

**gully_raker** · 05-07-2015 19:04

What a great encounter Dave.
Hopefully you can organise a Pizza get together with him again.

**Marechallannes** · 05-08-2015 00:39

Those guys get rare.

Interesting event.

**matt56** · 05-08-2015 02:37

I hope you get to see him again, Dave - it really IS wonderful when you can connect with these older veterans.

Keep us posted

I'm sure he'd be amazed if he were to catch a glimpse of some of your carrier models.

All the best,
Matt

**Dan-Sam** · 05-08-2015 02:38

In our town live an RAF VR officer. He is 99 old years now. Very classy gentleman - he shaves every day, iron his shirts fundamentaly himself. years ago he was awarded the Order of the White Lion.
It is necessery to talk with these men.

Click image for larger version.

Name: 051113-dv-01-hrdina-orez-cmyk_denik-605.jpg
Views: 30
Size: 40.6 KB
ID: 164433

**CappyTom** · 05-08-2015 02:55

Those are truly blessed encounters. I've had a couple myself.

Thomas

**Nightbomber** · 05-08-2015 07:51

Originally Posted by Dan-Sam

In our town live an RAF VR officer. He is 99 old years now. Very classy gentleman - he shaves every day, iron his shirts fundamentaly himself. years ago he was awarded the Order of the White Lion.
It is necessery to talk with these men.

It is amazing! Thanks for sharing the photo Daniel. I admire these veterans who are fantasy messengers from the past, bringing memoirs and personal records.

I can see the Polish "Gapa" as we call the badge on his left shoulder.
What is his name, Daniel?

**Dan-Sam** · 05-08-2015 08:02

His name is Imrich Gablech - he is father of our neighbor and one of the last ten RAF Czech veterans.

**Nightbomber** · 05-08-2015 08:41

Thanks.

**Dan-Sam** · 05-08-2015 10:18

This photo migth be even more interesting for Andrzej. Who can estimate why?

Click image for larger version.

Name: 070515-hb-gablech-cb_galerie-980.jpg
Views: 21
Size: 164.4 KB
ID: 164441

**Nightbomber** · 05-08-2015 10:32

Definitely! I see a Polish Order of Valor - or Service for the Republic of Poland hanging on a blue ribbon, est. in 1991 (I can not translate the name properly I am afraid).

Click image for larger version.

Name: Order.jpg
Views: 23
Size: 154.6 KB
ID: 164442

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 05-08-2015 10:45

Originally Posted by Nightbomber

Definitely! I see a Polish Order of Valor - or Service for the Republic of Poland hanging on a blue ribbon, est. in 1991 (I can not translate the name properly I am afraid).

Imrich Gablech Andy?

Must be just a bit older than when the first photo was taken.
What a grand old gentleman he looks too. Resplendent in his uniform.
Rob.

**Tonx** · 05-08-2015 11:40

I agree that it is necessary to talk with WW2 Veterans of all nationalities. Either that or if they are no longer around read their diaries / blogs if given the chance like I have been.

My Uncle Irwin (Irwin Perry) died in 2005 aged 91 and one of the reasons I have taken up WGS is in his memory. During WW2 he flew Handley Page Halifax bombers with 4 Group Bomber Command and he kept a daily 'blog' throughout ... Some of which is utterly terrifying to even begin to imagine at the age he had reached when what is in there occurred. Friends lost right left and centre. Doing what he was doing day in day out without hesitation or complaint. But most of all surviving the war as did all but one of his original crew who had been reliant upon the Welshman to be their leader, mentor and pilot bringing them home from every mission they were involved with. Uncle Irwin gave me his war blog almost one year before his death with the strict instruction to 'read, learn from and look after this' ...

This is currently being kept safely in the attic. Kept safe until the next family member shows an interest in seeing them

**BobP** · 05-08-2015 14:39

These gentlemen and women are getting old so many of the stories will be lost. I am sorry I never asked my uncles about their experiences but then again they may not have wanted to talk about it. One was radio op on a B-17, another a Marine ( I thing he was on Guadalcanal) and the third was Navy in the Pacific. Dad had bad eyes so never served.

**matt56** · 05-08-2015 15:07

I agree wholeheartedly! My dad (as I think I've mentioned elsewhere) was a BAR gunner in the 10th Mountain Division in Italy during WW2, and he never really talked about anything - luckily I have some of his letters and mementos of that time. And I've corresponded with several of the guys that were in his company, who've been very helpful fleshing out my knowledge of his service.

My uncle in Germany ended the war and an officer in the Wehrmacht, serving in the 41. Reiter-Regiment (41st Cavalry Rgt.) in Russia and the collapsing Eastern Front, eventually surrendering to the British in Austria (along with several other German and allied cav units). When we visited in 2006, we had a nice chat about his experiences (nothing too heavy) and he gave me a regimental history that his unit had commissioned to be written. Up unto his death he was relatively active in their veterans' organization.

As good as some divisional and regimental histories are, it's really nice to get some of this history straight from the 'horse's mouth'...

All the best,
Matt