[Jim in CT]

An amazing patriot and family man.

Coming from a very influential family, he easily could have landed a cushy assignment in WWII. He flew bombers in the Pacific instead.

Wrote famous love letters to his 'darling Bar' back home.

More should know what he did at Chi Chi Jima. His squadron was assigned to bomb a very vital Japanese radio tower. His plane was scheduled to bomb last in the formation. Each of the planes ahead of him in the pattern, were obliterated by anti aircraft fire as they approached the target. He saw his, must have assumed he was about to meet the same fate, and attacked it anyway. His plane was shot down, he piloted the aircraft long enough for the crew to jump out, then he jumped out.

As he was in the water, Japanese boats came for him, but American pilots strafed those boats, keeping them back until he was rescued. Other American pilots who were captured alive by the Japanese at Chi Chi Jim were tortured to death, and then eaten. It's in the book 'Flyboys', written by the same guy who wrote Flags Of Our Fathers.

He also lost a daughter at age 3 to cancer, he always said that he hoped that she would be the first person to welcome him to heaven. I pray that worked out as he hoped.

Would have been easy for him to spend his life at the beach and at the country club, enjoying the wealth he inherited. But he dedicated his life to service. And he never seemed attracted to service out of a desire for power or fame or women.