General Jonathan Wainwright’s Pilot
From Fritzie Herndon Maddock
I was a brat in the “old days” when we moved very often, and changed schools right and left. We lived with my grandparents while Daddy was in the China/Burma/India theater flying the infamous “Hump” in the Himalayas. He flew 64 missions supplying our troops.
As I recall, we lived in SC, NC, MO, TN, TX, FL and Germany. We knew the reality of ration stamps for food, gasoline and tires. I wondered at kids who went through one school from start to graduation, and thought how dull that must be!
I recall Daddy telling of a time when they lost an engine (the old C-47 Gooney Bird) over the Burma jungle, and had to dump the whole plane load of tires which were so badly needed. He said he thought about how many folks back in the States needed tires, too. They were not accompanied by fighters, just prayed they would make it across each time. As he said, the fear was that they might crash and fall into the hands of the Japanese.
We had a few photos, probably packed away somewhere. I donated his flight jacket (with the American flag on the back, and the Chinese writing indicating he was an American pilot) to the museum out at Ft. Jackson here in Columbia, SC.
After the war we were stationed at Hensley Field near Dallas, and Daddy was General Jonathan Wainwright’s pilot. As a young girl I recall meeting the old gentleman, who was hard of hearing due to the beatings the Japanese had inflicted. We also donated a large framed pic of the general with an inscription to Daddy.
Daddy’s last assignment as a pilot was back to Germany where he was on a NATO base. He and Mother enjoyed being with the people there. He loved flying all his life, and was not a happy camper to finish out his Air Force career at the Pentagon!
I always counted it a privilege to be a military brat, and yes, we did go to Germany on a troop ship, the Gen. Patch, in July ’52!
There was something special about those long ago days. I wouldn’t trade any of it.