A WWII Airman's Son Tracks Down His Father's Last Mission—to Destroy a Nazi Weapon Factory

Great post Tony - I wish my dad would have given me more info on what he did during WWII.

Great post this morning.

My dad grew up never knowing who his father was. Lt. "Buddy" Baker died in the Pacific without having married my grandmother, or given his infant son a name. "Buz", as Dad was known then, would wait for thirty years to discover the truth, and finally meet his grandfather... a grizzled WWI vet from Maine. I was fortunate enough to meet Mr. Baker Sr. at the age of five, shortly before he died. As I grew older, and entered the service myself...I wanted to know more about my grandfather. At the time, I was a student Naval Flight Officer, trying very hard to live up to the ghost of a young officer from another war that I never knew. I eventually traced his squadron...who flew B-25s in Luzon against enemy shipping. I even corresponded with a man who may have known him, but couldn't recall...admitting to me that back then, they didn't try to get too close to replacements. The first time I soloed, as I pushed the throttle forward and leapt from the earth all alone...I was thinking of "Buddy". Ultimately, I didn't have the "right stuff"...and maybe it's a good thing I didn't. My son knows his father, grandfathers, and even his great grandfather...who fought with the Marines at Guadalcanal. Some years ago, I got to go up in a restored B-25 and sit "right seat"...I'm proud of the man, and of carrying his blood, if not his name.