#1 Piston Fighter was British

Subject: #1 Piston Fighter was British
From: "Dave Kearton"
Date: 7/1/03 8:44 PM Pacific Daylight Time
Message-id:

Snippage

| dirven off by wannabees. Never in a million years. Many guys who have
given me
| the same crap over and over are now gone.I'm still here. And will be as
long as
| I can make it to the computer keyboard. The Luftwaffe couldn't get me. And
the
| wannabees don't stand a chance..
|
| Arthur Kramer
| Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
| http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer



Hi Art and all,


As someone who appreciates all _constructive_ input, I've enjoyed most of
the messages in this thread......certainly the ones that generate light
instead of heat. Normally threads this long would have left me cold
ages ago.


The thread touches peripherally on all aspects of Usenet life, from the
freedom of speech that your constitution stipulates and that _most_ other
RAM members enjoy by default, to the simple aspects of netiquette and good
manners.


Personally, I wonder if any other generation would ever stand toe-to-toe in
a bleeding match like WWI or II as yours did. We've all become
accustomed to 'surgical' warfare with minimal casualties among our side or
the innocent bystanders, witness the protests about the civilian casualties
in OIF.


You've certainly earned the right to be heard and to exchange your opinions
with the others with a credibility that few others can match.
Sadly, there will be a day when first hand accounts are no longer available
and written histories are all that are left.

The imperative as I see it, is to
_reconcile_written_histories_with_first-hand_accounts - while we can.
The work of authors such as Ed and Gordon are aimed at their own specialist
areas of air warfare during the last 60 years.


I'm glad you're still here Art, dodging the grenades. I'm sure that in
person you're a crusty, irascible old fart - enjoy that while you can - we
do and that there are people online who will enjoy stirring you up.

Please bear in mind that people on various mountain tops can look into the
same valley and see things slightly differently.



Cheers


Dave Kearton



Actually I am a rather mild mannered university (UNLV) student of the
humanities and constitutional law. I have been for the last 7 years and will
continue as long as I have the strength to get to class and understand what is
being said. Oh, this coming semester I will be adding Chaucer in middle English
to the schedule. And about that valley you were talking about.I look down into
and what I see is damned well what is there and don't you forget it. Of course
there is another other breed of men who won't look down into the valley at all.
They would rather read books about it.(grin)

Arthur Kramer
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer