World War II Veterans: Mr. Bill, Mr. Mike and Mr. Roy

A true story of True American heroes.

World War II’s three primary Imperialists, Hitler, Mussolini and Emperor Hirohito, and their obedient cronies and cohorts, shoved at and brutally bullied the rest of the World for more Land, more Resources, more Wealth, more Power, more, more, more………………

Tyrannical Dictators, one and all, who thought ThemSelves and their Visions of Superiority and Grandeur greater than EveryOne and EveryThing else, attempted to Force the Worlds People’s to bow down in acquiescence, and be mowed down and plowed under by their champing boots, their darting flying machines, their sly oceanic Sea Wolves and their clamoring, churning tanks.

They Scapegoated and channeled their People’s Fears and Anxieties through Racism, Bigotry, Xenophobia and Difference.

Using Social Fears, Needs and Wants, Art, Architecture, Music, Technology, Science, Laws, Political hijinx, Cultural Cosmological and Heroic Myths and Legends, Social Stressors and Relievers, and Cultural Ceremonies and Pageantries they worked their People’s up into an Emotional Righteous Patriotic Frenzy and Zeal and marched them out to conquer the World, and re-Create it in their own distorted and murderous image(s).

Average American Men like Mr. Bill, Mr. Mike and Mr. Roy helped the Europeans and Russians to eventually stop them cold in their tracks, and in doing so became members of the Great Generation.

They, and men and women like them, became the Great Generation because of their learned and practiced Self Discipline, Team Work and Perseverance.

Their struggle against Dictatorial Fascism in many ways taught them to Work together for a Common Purpose - a Common Goal. They demanded the Best of ThemSelves, and expected the Best from Others.

Mr. Bill is a Texan, who as a Boy, always dreamt of Flying.

At the age of twelve he created his own hang glider out of light wood and canvas, and successfully flew it off of the only red sand hill near the flatlands of Wichita Falls, Texas.

When his father passed away at an early age, his hard working, intelligent mother went to work as a government employee. She was able to buy a nice home in Wichita Falls, Texas, and raise her son, as best she could, in a small community rich in oil, Southern Hospitality and plenty of Neighborly Helping Hands.

At the age of eighteen Mr. Bill joined the Air Force, because he wanted to be a Pilot. He was not a West Pointer, and only had two years of college under his belt at that time, so Mr. Bill had to work and train “extra hard” in order to accomplish his goals.

After passing through Pilot’s School (when over 3/4’s of his class washed out), Mr. Bill was stationed in Panama City, Panama. While based in Panama City he learned to land his planes upon short runways. A Skill Set which would serve him well later on in Northern Italy when Colonel Bill trained his fellow bombardier Pilots, who only had expertise with the long American runways, to take off from and land on runways much shorter than they were prepared to handle.

Panama City is also where Mr. Bill met the love of his life, Ms. Katherine, whom he married before being shipped off to Northern Italy to lead bombing runs into various parts of Germany.

Mr. Bill, and his men, flew over fifty missions. He lost many friends, and counts himself “lucky” to have never been shot down.

His Passion became a Skill Set which, through Teaching and Flight, helped Colonel (Mr.) Bill save American Pilots and their crews lives, and also ultimately helped in the comprehensive defeat of WW II’s Dark Cloud of Tyranny.

Mr. Mike was an athletic and rambunctious Boy who was raised in a Catholic Orphanage. He still smiles fondly in memory of his years there.

“The priests were patient, and the nuns were strict but kind.”

He joined the Army at the age of eighteen, and was stationed in the Pacific Theatre. His Passions were “football and making things with my hands.”

Mr. Mike’s Passion and Skill Sets sent him island hopping all over the Pacific building Air Strips and Bases for American Troops, American Aircraft and “the big guns”.

He often smiles when he admits, “I was still able to work in a couple games of football every now and then with the boys. It was while I was overseas that I decided to become a high school football coach. I loved every minute of that job, and every moment of being a U. S. postman afterwards. I have always tried to Serve my country in one way or another, and I taught my six children to do the same.”

Mr. Roy’s Passions are “Dancing and Salesmanship”. He was raised in Detroit, Michigan by “the best mom and pop in the world.”

His father helped him get a job at the huge industrial company he supervised, but when The War was announced, he, too, volunteered to join the Army.

Mr. Roy became an infantryman. He served under General Patton, and participated in the Battle of the Bulge.

His fondest memories consist of trench foot and endless marches. Of being so tired, that he would find any place along the road he could to lay down and fall asleep within minutes.

Mr. Roy was in charge of “the big machine gun”. The machine gun broke down into three parts. Each part was so heavy that it took three men to carry each section, and an extra man to bring the ammunition box along. He and his men walked alongside the large, rolling Army tanks.

Mr. Roy always says that he was never sure who was guarding who (the tanks or the men).

Mr. Roy recalls with great mirth crossing a river in France in a makeshift canvas canoe. His canoe got a hole punched into it, and sank. When Mr. Roy, and his men, finally swam to shore sputtering and spurting, his Captain greeted him. “Where’s the Machine gun.”

“At the bottom of the river, sir.”

“The Captain growled, “We need the gun. You’re expendable.” He then turned on his heel without another word.

Mr. Roy was left speechless and enlightened.

Mr. Roy tells everyone that the American troops respected General Patton in spite of his “sometimes bizarre behaviors”. Mr. Roy says that, ”Patton was never afraid to enter the fray. He was good leader, because he was willing to fight right beside the men. When the German Planes would fly overhead. He would stand up in his jeep, unholster his pistol and fire unflinchingly at the diving plane. He knew that it was too far away to hit, but it was his way of getting the troops fired up. He was definitely not one of those ‘do as I say, but not as I do guys.”

After the War, Mr. Roy spent twenty-one nights, straight in a row, doing nothing but dancing. “My dad never said a word. He let me borrow his car every evening to spend all night dancing with the ladies,” He recalls with a twinkle in his eyes.

When Mr. Roy stopped dancing, and decided to get to work, he eventually landed a job with Shell Oil, and became one of the oil company’s successful C.E.O.’s.

Mr. Bill, Mr. Mike and Mr. Roy are three American heroes that I have had the pleasure, and great good privilege to work with and for through the little company my sisters and formed four years ago.

It is an Honor to Serve them as they have Served America and the World with their Passions, Skill Sets, Sacrifices and Accomplishments.

These three American men are just a small part of the fading Great Generation who struggled against great odds to Protect and Defend the many Freedoms and Liberties all Americans, and many other parts of the World, Share and enjoy today.