November 11th is Veteran's Day in the USA and Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other countries. It has been a bitter year for veterans in the United States and Allied Armies, but we still remember. As our World War II veterans pass on, I want to honor my father-in-law, James E. Galbraith who died earlier this year and will have his funeral tomorrow.
My amazing father-in-law Jim was a 19 year old 1st Lieutenant flying B-17 bombers with the 8th Air Force in 1944 and ended the war as a captain. A product of the depression (when he was a very young cowboy), he volunteered to be a pilot because it paid more! Jim was awarded, among other awards, the Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf clusters.
The Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. After the war, he used the GI Bill to go to college, got his degree in Architecture, and eventually retired as the State Architect for the State of Florida.
Jim with his mother before going overseas.
Jim and his crew in England.
Newly commissioned.
Jim and his plane.
Getting his wings.
VE DAY!!!
After the War:
A fitting post Neil. My own father in law was a Sgt in the 21st NZ Battalion - he joined aged 19 in 1942 I think and served throughout the Italian campaign, including Monte Cassino and Faenza, ending the war in Trieste, facing off against Tito's partisan army. Thereafter, he was sent to Japan as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation forces and we have pictures of Hiroishima or Nagasaki (cant recall which) that he took himself only a few weeks after the bombs were dropped. He lived to the age of 97 and passed away about 11 months ago. I did a post about it here .. https://1808534.blogspot.com/2020/12/the-last-post.html
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing; very moving.
ReplyDeleteNeil
Nice tribute to a great American. Thanks.
ReplyDelete