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I would like to honor those Members who made the supreme sacrifice for their God, Country and the United States Marine Corps in World War II.
The gentleman who wrote the below poem is not a pilot, but a aircrewman and a top notch radio operator/loadmaster. We had flown many hours together both in peace time and many hours when we were in combat. Neither of us being pilots, but share the same with the thousands of hours we flew.
"The Free Eagle"
by Robert Van Nostrand GySgt USMC Ret.
Oh, how I cherish those days of yore
Those props on wing, 2 maybe 4.
Cutting, slicing, spiraling the air,
Pulling us forward to a destination, out there.
Lulled into dreamland by the engines’ calming purr,
The earth, far below, appearing as a blur.
Thrust voiding drag, to us, our engines gift,
As gravity is ignored by a wing spans gentle lift.
'Twas the fortunes of fate that allowed me to fly,
to soar towards the heavens in Gods blue sky.
Oh yes, thousands of hours I’ve spent there,
In the clouds, in turbulence and the calm clean air.
But the clock has kept ticking and time has marched on,
And the days of flying for my Corps are now gone.
My memories are clear as I look to the sky,
And I’m warmed the times I did get to fly.
I’m saddened by the thought I won’t fly again,
Before God scheduled me for that last RON.
But I give thanks for the life that was afforded me,
And the times, like an eagle, that I felt so free.
THE HONOR ROLL
Major Arthur L. TURNER * 1st Lt. Jerome BOHLAND * 1st Lt. James L. BROWN
1st Lt. Edward MURRAY * 1st Lt. Harry O'HARA * 1st Lt. Walter K. PARMETER
1st Lt. Louis RIESNER * 1st Lt. Sylvester SANKEY * 1st Lt. Frederick F. ZEHRING
2nd Lt. Gerald E. BAKER * 2nd Lt. William O. BAKER * 2nd Lt. Robert M. BARTLETT Jr.
2nd Lt. John A. FRESHOUR * 2nd Lt. Leon REYNOLDS * 2nd Lt. Glen B. SMITH
Technical Sgt. Albert G. ELSON * HM3 James P. MYNATT
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