There are some family stories that don’t get told enough. Grandpa Glenn’s experiences in the Army are some of those stories.
Last week we were able to visit a vintage airplane museum in Chino where we hoped we would find a few planes that he recognized from his time flying for the post-World War II Army.
After a little wandering, we found this.
He says this was the same model plane that he flew, proving his familiarity by opening the hatch and pointing out the functions of the controls inside. The Cesena L-19 (sometimes called the Bird Dog) was not a fighter plane. Rather Grandpa Glenn flew over enemy territory while a backseat passenger observed how far off the good guys guys were with their guns. That person would then radio down to the ground telling Army soliders by how many degrees to adjust their shooting.
In the golden days after World War II he was on the way toward a career in the military. The Air Force was officially formed in 1947, but Grandpa Glenn was a true blue Army pilot. Eventually, he had the choice to remain in the Army and take a promotion for a lifetime of moving around or leave for the private sector and a job that would keep his new little family in one place.
With the help of a prodding wife, he made the choice to abandon a promising career in the military for the civilian life. The timing was appropriate. Korea and Vietnam erupted into napalm-fueled conflicts shortly after.
Life decisions are so much more interesting after 60 years of hindsight.
