flagold
Registered User
Abbeville, Alabama
Merry Christmas from the Mattson Family. Most of the family elders were flyers: Aeronca Defender & Fairchild 24 & of course PBY's.
The Mattson Family - formerly of Groveland Florida - now scattered to the winds:
And there is much to be thankful for:
My Great Grandfather (schoolteacher) who raised my Grandmother didn't get killed at Vicksburg and was captured rather than killed in the fighting at Nashville, so she could go on to teach my hard head the mathematics I missed after I was branded unteachable by the public school:
That my father wasn't killed when his PBY-2 crashed off Honolulu:
or shot down when a Betty Bomber pulled up beside them (unarmed) only to have their crew wave (and his wave back) when they turned off on their bombing run - or shot down by a Zero that did fire (a lot as he said) but couldn't get under their wave hopping PBY.
The difference between being here and not - is slim. For all those folks that lived so hard that made my life relatively easy by comparison - I'm grateful.
And thankful too for having that stroke that ended flying. It opened up a whole new world of adventure I would have never been part off if I hadn't had that major turn in the road.
Merry Christmas to you all!
The Mattson Family - formerly of Groveland Florida - now scattered to the winds:
And there is much to be thankful for:
My Great Grandfather (schoolteacher) who raised my Grandmother didn't get killed at Vicksburg and was captured rather than killed in the fighting at Nashville, so she could go on to teach my hard head the mathematics I missed after I was branded unteachable by the public school:
That my father wasn't killed when his PBY-2 crashed off Honolulu:
or shot down when a Betty Bomber pulled up beside them (unarmed) only to have their crew wave (and his wave back) when they turned off on their bombing run - or shot down by a Zero that did fire (a lot as he said) but couldn't get under their wave hopping PBY.
The difference between being here and not - is slim. For all those folks that lived so hard that made my life relatively easy by comparison - I'm grateful.
And thankful too for having that stroke that ended flying. It opened up a whole new world of adventure I would have never been part off if I hadn't had that major turn in the road.
Merry Christmas to you all!
Attachments
Last edited: