Forgotten Faces

My father was in WW2. Like a lot of returning GI's he had a scrapbook from his time in service. He kept it in the closet in his bedroom. Occasionally he would bring it out and look through those pages. I can only imagine what emotions he must have experienced. Rarer still was the times when he would show me this book, and talk about it a little. He would point out the airplanes that he had flown in. He was a flight engineer on B-24 bombers. He mentioned a few names and places. He never spoke about actual combat. When he was looking at his album he became almost detached from the present time. A sadness often overcame him and he would put that book away.

He had taken lots of pictures of the "nose art " on these craft and others as well. Some of the artwork was fantastic,done by professional artists whose careers were interrupted by that war.As a young man that artwork was something to behold ! Various scantily clad women figured prominently into the scheme of things. This was the 1940s' and they hadn't thought about being politically correct. Also there were pictures of his contemporaries. Other men,like him,thrust into this conflict. Some were pilots and co-pilots and other various members of the crew. Nine men in total.

 Many years after his passing I came into possession of this photo album. I held onto it for a number of years and it remained intact. The pages became brittle with age and the little adhesive corners holding the photos in place were all falling out. I decided to remove the pictures from the album. All the pictures of the various aircraft and their respective artwork I placed in one pile. I had in mind a historical society I thought may be interested in them. I did contact them but received no response back. Their lose. My brother in law is a retired Air Force Captain and expressed an interest in them. I gave those pictures to him for safekeeping. Those airplanes hold only a passive interest for me. I retained for myself all the pictures of the people Dad served with.I kept any that he was in. Old black and white snaps shots taken during the good times. A precious few of these pictures had anyones' name on them.

Who were these men? Where did they come from and where did they all go ?

My mom tells me Dad kept in touch with a few of them with a Christmas card every year. She also told me sadly,they are all gone now.

I have those photos,my fathers memories,and feel an obligation to keep them,to keep his memories alive. I know very little about any of them. I can only stare at them and surmise what the occasion may have been. I do have to remind myself that I am looking at pictures of young men. Eighteen to twenty five years old would be an approximate span. My father was 21 at the time.

I know what he went on to do after the war. But what of the others ? I wish I knew their stories. The stories of the " forgotten faces. " I owe a lot to these people. They are the ones that flew with my father. He trusted his life to them and they to him. Bonds forged in war. They suffered the lose of friends and celebrated the ultimate victory ! Surviving the war.

I have in mind a slide show. I'm thinking I will assemble these photographs and put them together for anyone to view and enjoy. Maybe, by chance, someone out there in the cyber world of today will be able to put a name to some of the faces. That would be a remarkable and wonderful thing.

My Dad,back row, far left

All the men in this picture deserve to be remembered. Never forget the sacrifices they made. Their faces may be forgotten but there deeds never will. Could I, I would reunite these memories with their families.