THE PILOT WHO WOULDN'T FLY

"Mike Marron" wrote in message
...

snip

Interesting story. JFK's "conscientious objector" quote sprang to mind
not because I'm a dove, but because after flying 62 missions "the
pilot who wouldn't fly" is not a coward.

With the benefit of being 50 years and half a world displaced in time and
space,
it would seem to most of us in this here and now that this man had simply
reached
a point where he could not continue, and given the circumstances that caused
that,
I cannot help feeling some sympathy towards a man who had reached his
personal
limit. Our understanding of this sort of thing here and now is well beyond
that of the era.

That said, in the there and then where this took place, there was a totally
different expectation
of behaviour, and whether it is 'right' by the more liberal attitudes of the
present doesn't alter the
fact that in that there and then, his peers felt contempt that he would walk
away from the duty that
they continued to do, day after day, night after night. In the here and
now he would probably get
more sympathy and understanding, but even now, within his own fraternity,
there would still be that
thought amongst them that he was no longer one of them...

The author of the story (e.g: Kramer) is the real coward.

Sir, I take very strong exception to this remark. I do not know Mr. Kramer
personally, only through his
posts to this group. To take his story (which I note carefully did *not*
reveal the true identity of
the man in question) and turn that explanation of how his fraternity dealt
with what *they felt* was
cowardice into a direct personal attack, specifically naming *him* as a
coward in the face of strong evidence
to the contrary, is, in my not so humble opinion, contemptible and requires
that you apologise unreservedly.

He told the story but preserved the dignity of the mans family (who perhaps
weren't aware of the details)
by maintaining his anonymity to all but those who were there and knew of
whom he spoke. He told the story
only after the man in question had died and could not be distressed further
by reading it.

I consider your accusation of cowardice reprehensible and 'conduct
unbecoming'.

BTW, how much combat experience do *you* have?

As Ghandi said, "A coward is incapable
of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave."

Ghandi didn't know **** about combat, and frankly, he also didn't know ****
about human nature.
If he'd pulled on his politics 50 years earlier he would have been tied
across the mouth of a cannon.
He was simply fortunate to be in a time and place where a tired and somewhat
jaded Empire
decided it wasn't worth the trouble of trying to keep their regency.

Whatever love Art and his colleagues felt for this man (and I don't doubt
that he *was* a brother to
them during his 62) this actually makes what they doubtless considered his
betrayal of that brotherhood
even worse to *them*. Would you feel worse if you were abandoned to your
fate by some casual acquaintance or
by someone you have gone through fire and death with and considered to be
'family'.

I guess to understand this concept, you had to *be there* or at least been
somewhere similar.

I strongly recommend that you carefully reconsider your statement and make
appropriate adjustments.

The CO