WWII pilot ace dies at 93

[Subdeacon Joe]

A Bettendorf man whose family says is one of the last remaining World War II fighter aces died Saturday.

 

 

According to the Museum of Flight website, Asbury was born in
Maryland in 1920 and began Air Corps training in 1942. He was stationed
in England in 1943, from where he flew combat missions over Europe.

 

In 1944, his German opponents were flying Me-109s and Fw-190s, and on one
occasion, he successfully outmaneuvered the fighters even though he was
outnumbered by 10 to one. His decorations include two Distinguished
Flying Crosses, 21 Air Medals and three Air Force Commendation Medals.
He later flew combat missions in Korea and Vietnam.

 

Ave atque vale.

[Badlands Bob #61228]

The greatest generation. We have so much to thank them for.

[Dusty Balz, SASS#46599]

Tails winds sir

[Subdeacon Joe]

I don't really buy into "the Greatest Generation" line. It denigrates those who fought in the Revolution. Did those people have any less to lose? Or the War of 1812 - kind of glossed over as just a series of small skirmishes and the White House burned. Or the War of 1861 (miscalled the Civil War)? And how about our Doughboys in The Great War? They dropped everything to "whip the kaiser."

Yes, they rallied out of the depths of the Great Depression to deal with war on a scale greater than had been seen before, but they were following in the footsteps of other "Greatest Generations."

[Utah Bob #35998]

I don't think it denigrates anybody. They were the generation that stopped the incredibly evil of the Axis from dragging the entire world into an age of slavery and horror.

Besides, it was my Dad's generation, and he was the greatest as far as I'm concerned.

Nope. I'm sticking with Greatest Generation.

[Gunner Gatlin, SASS 10274L]

The greatest generation. We have so much to thank them for.

 

Amen this!

 

GG ~

[Tango Mike 20653]

I got to agree with Utah. It was a war fought by everyone. Everybody worked hard, prayed hard and sacrificed more than for most wars, and it was from choice. America is not fighting in the mid east ... the US military is, bless their hearts. America is still at the mall. Or the fast food restaurants, or playing games with each other on their phones, of alll things. Most of the young people don't even know that we have been fighting a war, and losing the cream of the crop American youth, who have volunteered to go.

[Tom Bullweed]

Great story. I have not heard of a fighter pilot who moved to flying B-52s and then back to fighters.

 

The Greatest Generation was the result of the Brits (born under the crown as colonists that we call forefathers) who fought for American Independence, the settlers who went to unknown lands and several generations of men who fought in Mexico, an civil unrest, Cuba, Phillipines and WWI. These previous generations had a vision of a great country that culminated with this generation that was most active in the 1930s-1960s. I was born in 1964 and believe that our nation has diminished since 1975.

[Big-un Bruce]

I don't really buy into "the Greatest Generation" line. It denigrates those who fought in the Revolution.

 

 

Hmmm, understand the point but, the tone somewhat takes away from what that generation did.

 

May God bless those generations….

 

 

 

[Subdeacon Joe]

Great story. I have not heard of a fighter pilot who moved to flying B-52s and then back to fighters.

 

The Greatest Generation was the result of the Brits (born under the crown as colonists that we call forefathers) who fought for American Independence, the settlers who went to unknown lands and several generations of men who fought in Mexico, an civil unrest, Cuba, Phillipines and WWI. These previous generations had a vision of a great country that culminated with this generation that was most active in the 1930s-1960s. I was born in 1964 and believe that our nation has diminished since 1975.

 

Exactly.

 

 

 

Hmmm, understand the point but, the tone somewhat takes away from what that generation did.

 

May God bless those generations….

 

 

 

 

No, it doesn't take away anything. But was that generation any different from the "generation" of the Civil War era? Yes, they did real yoemens work in defeating the Axis powers, and our production in all areas converting from civilian use to war material was close to miraculous.

 

I just think that trying to single out a "greatest generation" implies that others were lacking.

 

As far as the "America went to the mall" meme that crops up so often, it's not as if we are facing a single nation, or federation of nations, with conventional rules of war. We are fighting an enemy that wants to disrupt our way of life. If we were to say, "Gee, we're at WAR! We need to have wheatless, meatless, and sweetless days! Plant Victory Gardens! Eat Victory Cabbage!" well, then we have lost. Our society will have been disrupted. What next, an updated EO 9066?

[Big-un Bruce]

I just think that trying to single out a "greatest generation" implies that others were lacking.

 

Seems we agree! "May God bless (all) those generations….

[Utah Bob #35998]

Think of it this way:

The Greatest Generation was perhaps not "better" than previous generations. But they had the opportunity to save, and change, the world on a scale unimaginable before. They had greatness thrust upon them rather than seek it and they were up to the task.

Had Tom Brokaw not wrtoitten the book of course, we wouldn't even be discussing it. For better or worse, the title is now part of our culture. Ya gotta admit, it's better than, The Me Generation, The Beat Generation, Gen X, etc.