100-Year History. 100 YEAR HISTORY.

Thank you for the photos from [when you attended] the Cleveland Air Show. I had been to Air Shows at the he Willow Grove Naval Air Station when it was open but the ones there were one day affairs - not three day complete shows like Cleveland. And the Blue Angels and the Golden Knights performed every day - the Knights twice a day.

As I looked at the photos (and thank you again) my mind drifted back to (I think it was 1915) when Orville and Wilbur Wright (who operated a bicycle repair shop) invented a plane which flew a flight of (I think) approx 100 feet.

And then in 1928 Charles Lindbergh flew a single engine monoplane non-stop from new York to Paris. He an the plane came back on a ship but he then flew non-stop from N Y to Mexico City to gain some kind of a prize. His plane (the Spirit of Saint Louis) is suspended from the ceiling in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC.

And the Alan Sheppard flew sub-orbital and landed in a capsule and landed in the Atlantic Ocean.

And then John Glenn orbited the earth and splashed down in the Atlantic.

And then Neil Armstrong (as it 1969?) set foot on the moon.

And NOW there is a robot exploring the surface of the planet MARS!!

ALL OF THIS IN LESS THAN ONE HUNDRED YEARS!!

ONE HUNDRED YEARS!!

What I have seen is phenomenal. And Michelle think what you will have seen when you reach my age!! I AM HAPPY FOR YOU!!

And when I look back on the L-4s, the C-47s, the C-54s, the P-49s, the P-51s, the B-17s, and the B-29s of WWII they were "primitive" but at least you have had the opportunity to see some of them. Of the thousands of the B-29s which were built I understand that there is only one left that can fly. In Europe I used to see them fly over us in waves on their way to bomb Germany.

PSU Football

Love, Sara B.B.

Signature.

I always love his signatures! 

Trench: Play by Play

In a letter you asked me for stories – one you mentioned was experience sin Boot Camp. Here goes. First the term Boot Camp is applied and used by the U S Marine Corps. In the Army we use the term “basic Training” but it is the same thing – very intensive training for those newly in the service.

There are the usual “experiences” like marching everywhere you went. Even marching from the barracks to the mess hall for a meal. There were no casual saundering over to the mess hall. It was marching! GOOD PRACTICE? Yes!

But now for an “always will remember” experience.

Look at the sketch. On the left you will see a trench. That is where you start from. Crawl up out of that trench and flat on your stomach crawl to your right until you come to and drop down into the trench on the right.

From that machine gun there are real bullets flying over your head. There is eighteen inches between the ground and those bullets. That is the space you have to crawl in.

There is a safety feature. There is a block below the machine gun prohibiting it from firing below that 18” level. You are safe as long as you do not stand up from that 18” space. But you do have the experience of live bullets flying just over your head.

Bullets are sometimes called “rounds”. Sometimes called “shells”.

The machine gun can fire a single round or a “burst” of several. A small burset is three or four rounds in rapid (non-stop) succession. Then there is a medium burst of ten or eleven rounds. And a long burst is 20 or 25 rounds. This rapid firing heats up the barrel of the machine gun and unless it is cooled it will warp and become useless. So there is a “jacket” around the barrel. This jacket is filled with water and acts as a cooling agent for the barrel.

The machine gun is mounted on three legs and can traverse 360 degrees.

How far do you crawl? Good question. The first time was at Fort Washington (along the Potomac River) in the summer of 1937 when I was between my Junior and Senior years at Penn State. We were in the ROTC Summer Training Program. As Cadets we crawled one hundred feet.

The next time was as a Lieutenant at Fort Benning, GA when I led fifty soldiers out of the trench and crawled 150’. The next time was at Camp McCoy, WI when as a Captain I led 200 soldiers out of the trench and crawled 200’. A football field is 300’ long so you get an idea of length.

YOU REALLY HAVE TO LAY FLAT ON the ground!!

During the Fort Benning and Camp McCoy crawls we did it twice. The first time was as I have described. The second time was similar except that our arms were extended in front of us as we crawled and had a rifle cupped inside the elbows. Thus we crawled but had a rifle with us.

Change the subject.

A lot of “training” becomes routine. Map reading. Rifle practice. Mortar range. Anti Tank Gun Firing. Calisthenics. Marches. Night patrols. Etc, etc. And it is all valuable. The above becomes very real as live bullets fly over your head. You don’t forget.

MOWW

Military Order of the World War has some new leadership. I joined the organization in 1979 and have witnessed the growth of a new generation of non-joiners. It affect not only military related organizations but also Service clubs and other groups. Happily, our Memorial Fund is financially able to support a program of scholarships to ROTC Cadets, Patrick Henry Medallions to AMERIKIDS, etc.

P. B. F. T. A.

Wednesday 21 September [2011]

Thank you for calling my from the airport [Pittsburgh National Air Show 2011] when the P-51s were in the air. Did you read what happened in Reno, Nevada? A P-51 was flying in a "race" and crashed into the crowd killing nine people. Yes, it was a P-51 BUT it had been altered (the wings were several inches shorter and other changes had been made so it could fly faster but interfered with its maneuverability). Tragic.

You know by now that P stands for "pursuit". B stands for "bomber". F stands for "fighter". T stands for "trainer" and A stands for "attack". The A-10 was famous as an Anti-Tank weapon in desert warfare.

Pacemaker

I may have told you earlier that in the year 2000 I had a pacemaker installed in my heart. It was done at Lankenau Hospital because this is was the first “three wire pacemaker” to be installed in the Philadelphia area. As I was wheeled into the operating room I noticed a gallery of twenty “white coats” forming. An overhead camera, three large screens, etc. In addition to the surgeons the representative of the manufacturer was there, etc.  The operation was highly successful. When it was over I asked the surgeon how long the battery would last. After some hesitation he said, “usually four years”. Michelle – that was ten years ago! All are thrilled with the success.

But the time has come. The battery is within months of failure. So, after a lengthy discussion with the surgeon it has been decided that the battery will be replaced on 10 or 11 of November in West Chester which is now equipped to do it. Replacing the battery is no big deal BUT One of the wires implanted in the heart is showing weakness. There is risk involved in replacing that wire (and they do not know which one it is). I finally got around to the critical question – suppose the wire fails, does that establish a life threatening situation? His answer was a firm “No”. He explained how I still have two good wires, etc. He explained where the wires are, their functions, etc. So, all is in place. Battery replacement is routine but he was not anxious to attempt going into the heart to replace that wire.

Telegrams!

Your letter with the copies of telegrams triggered memories of earlier years. Two telegrams in particular. The first one (I hope I can still find it) was from the Registrar of the Pennsylvania State College in October 1934. He apologized at length for an error in their Admissions Office and urged me to come to state College as quick as possible and I would be admitted.

The second one was from Josephine Ziegler (Sara’s cousin) to me when I was in Europe during WWII. It was sent to me in June 1945. It announced the birth of our son H. William Jr.

I had them and hope that I can still find them. Historic!