It was "exciting" to see the Lancaster "fly" over the CANADIAN WAR MUSUEM today. One of best memories of my Dad, was visiting, and touching the plane, in Goderich.. At the time, I could not imagine, my Dad "gone" ,or would I have ever thought the "Lank" would fly
The Lancaster -- rescued from a perch atop a concrete pylon in Goderich in the late
1970s -- underwent nine years of painstaking, rivet by rivet restoration by a dedicated swarm of elderly volunteers before its return to the air in the fall of 1988.
The plane is dedicated to the memory of a quintessential Canadian hero -- Gunner Andrew Mynarski of Winnipeg -- and to all of Canada's Second World War bomber crews. It is a priceless goodwill ambassador for the City of Hamilton.
The Mynarski Lancaster, the most ambitious restoration in the museum's history, has flown all over North America. Built in 1945 by Victory Aircraft of Toronto, the museum's Lancaster served most of its life with the Royal Canadian Air Force on search and rescue operations out of Newfoundland until its retirement in 1963.
The aircraft ended up on display at Goderich airport and was then donated to the museum and disassembled. The fuselage finally touched down at Mount Hope in 1979. It was airlifted from Goderich by a Canadian Armed Forces Chinook helicopter.
In June 1984, with the restoration well under way, the Lancaster was dedicated to Andrew Mynarski. A mid-upper gunner on a Lancaster that was shot down over northeastern France a week after D-Day, Mynarski was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for sacrificing his life trying to save tail gunner Pat Brophy.
Mynarski fought his way through flaming hydraulic fluid fanned by wind howling through holes in the fuselage in an effort to free the trapped crewman. Only when he thought Brophy was beyond hope, and with his own clothing on fire, did Mynarski give up. Even so, he paused, stood to attention and saluted Brophy before bailing out, his chute aflame.
Brophy, who said later the Lancaster "slammed into the earth like the sound of a thousand sledgehammers," was miraculously thrown clear. He came to rest against a small tree about 30 to 50 feet away from the wreckage and then hooked up with the French Resistance. Mynarski died of his burns.
Lieutenant (Navy) Gord Gray assists Vice-Admiral (retired) Ralph Hennessy, 89, who earned a Distinguished Service Cross for his efforts in ridding the North Atlantic of German U-boats during the Second World War, at Battle of the Atlantic ceremonies in Ottawa on May 4, 2008. ______________________________________________________________________
Minister of National Defence and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, the Honourable Peter Gordon MacKay, will attend a service at Bethel Presbyterian Church in Pictou Landing, Nova Scotia, and lay a wreath commemorating the battle.
During the darkest days of the Second World War, thousands of Canadian men and women in the Royal Canadian Navy, the Merchant Navy, and the Royal Canadian Air Force faced perilous conditions that many of us cant even imagine. We will not forget their courageous contributions said Minister MacKay. ______________________________________________________________________
Spent time with my brother-in-law Gord Gray and met Vice-Admiral Hennessy this summer. My thanks to all those who have helped keep us "Free".
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1967 Parisienne 2+2 1967 Grande Parisienne
1967 Laurentian 1967 Strato Chief
Remember, "The Government" only has money confiscated from us.
Like Bob I attend our local service, East York Civic Centre Memorial Gardens. A formation of Harvards did a fly by. I got to sing one of my favourite hymns too.
The people with real jobs had the day off today. The rest of us had to work. I should have called in! There I am trying to to get an impatient customer on his way when I heard the horns on the TV in the waiting room. I look at the clock - 11:00. It really burns my ass that nobody would stop and pause for one damn minute to reflect on the sacrifices these men and women made for us. As far as I'm concerned it should be a national holiday with every store/business closed- just like Christmas day.
The people with real jobs had the day off today. The rest of us had to work. I should have called in! There I am trying to to get an impatient customer on his way when I heard the horns on the TV in the waiting room. I look at the clock - 11:00. It really burns my ass that nobody would stop and pause for one damn minute to reflect on the sacrifices these men and women made for us. As far as I'm concerned it should be a national holiday with every store/business closed- just like Christmas day.
As a kid growing up in Halifax Nova Scotia November 11th was a day to remember. That was during the 60's and early 70's when everything was closed up for the day. Ceremonies and Mass were a mandatory in our house. My grandfather on mom's side fought in WW1, and 3 of my uncles, one who never came back ,another who lost his arm as well as my stepdad who fought with my uncle John in WW2. I still had 2 uncles in the Armed Forces then. They joined during the war and never left until they retired. My Mom didn't like the idea of me joining anything but the Air Cadets. A lot of the families that lived in our neighbourhood were also in the Forces so it was a very somber and respected holiday. A lot of those people had members who had been killed or wounded and it meant a lot more than it seems to now. But at least the younger folks are starting to recognize the importance; only because of the sacrifices being made in Afghanistan.
The people with real jobs had the day off today. The rest of us had to work. I should have called in! There I am trying to to get an impatient customer on his way when I heard the horns on the TV in the waiting room. I look at the clock - 11:00. It really burns my ass that nobody would stop and pause for one damn minute to reflect on the sacrifices these men and women made for us. As far as I'm concerned it should be a national holiday with every store/business closed- just like Christmas day.
Too bad, We couldn't get 1000 guys from the site, to e-mail your Boss!!
I had to work on a shut down but at 11 I stopped working and took time to show my thanks. My business partner was working in another area with 3 of our guys I asked I they stopped and 1 of our guys said yes but after 10 second my partner said OK long enough. I was rather pissed at him. I said you can't take 1 minute a year to pay thanks to people who have died or went to war so we can live the way we do. On another note I have a funeral to go to tomorrow for my father in law he was over seas when WW2 ended and finished his tour as a interpreter when they would do searches he could speak, read and wright German. These men went through hell for us.
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1957 Pathfinder deluxe 4 door wagon 1961 Pontiac Parisienne bubble top Traded for a Harley sorry guys.
It really burns my ass that nobody would stop and pause for one damn minute to reflect on the sacrifices these men and women made for us. As far as I'm concerned it should be a national holiday with every store/business closed- just like Christmas day.
I agree 100%. I was shocked at the number of people who did not stop what they were doing at 11:00. I may get into trouble for saying this, but a lot of them looked like "recent immigrants".
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Hillar
1970 LS4 (eventually an LS5) Laurentian 2dr hdtp -and a bunch of other muscle cars...
It really burns my ass that nobody would stop and pause for one damn minute to reflect on the sacrifices these men and women made for us. As far as I'm concerned it should be a national holiday with every store/business closed- just like Christmas day.
I agree 100%. I was shocked at the number of people who did not stop what they were doing at 11:00. I may get into trouble for saying this, but a lot of them looked like "recent immigrants".
Can you imagine, that "recent immigrants" in Europe, are pressing for removal of History, mentioning the Holocaust, as they don't believe it happened? Sorry Political talk... and they can't use any reference to Farms, as that is where pigs come from...
-- Edited by 427carl on Wednesday 11th of November 2009 08:37:06 PM
It really burns my ass that nobody would stop and pause for one damn minute to reflect on the sacrifices these men and women made for us. As far as I'm concerned it should be a national holiday with every store/business closed- just like Christmas day.
I agree 100%. I was shocked at the number of people who did not stop what they were doing at 11:00. I may get into trouble for saying this, but a lot of them looked like "recent immigrants".
Remember, You Can't get into trouble for saying "recent immigrants" , because we live in a FREE Country where we have freedom of speech...And thats part of what this day is about!
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1960 Pontiac Strato Chief Safari 1960 Laurentian Safari 1960 Laurentian 4door(scrapped) 2001 Grand Am Traded on a '96 Suburban 2WD 2002 Hyundai Accent(SOLD) 1968 Grand Parisienne Scrapped and SOLD
It was "exciting" to see the Lancaster "fly" over the CANADIAN WAR MUSUEM today.
Carl,
I'm proud to say that one of our closest friends is the daughter of Pat Brophy, the tail gunner on that very Lancaster. The 13th Mission documentary is about that plane and its crew.
THE 13TH MISSION: THE STORY OF THE LANCASTER
I was invited to the CBC for the premiere showing several years ago and took photos of the event and his surviving family.
Small world, no?
-- Edited by 67HEAVEN on Wednesday 11th of November 2009 09:25:08 PM
Mynarski fought his way through flaming hydraulic fluid fanned by wind howling through holes in the fuselage in an effort to free the trapped crewman. Only when he thought Brophy was beyond hope, and with his own clothing on fire, did Mynarski give up. Even so, he paused, stood to attention and saluted Brophy before bailing out, his chute aflame.
Brophy, who said later the Lancaster "slammed into the earth like the sound of a thousand sledgehammers," was miraculously thrown clear. He came to rest against a small tree about 30 to 50 feet away from the wreckage and then hooked up with the French Resistance. Mynarski died of his burns.
Hang on, Carl. Here's a photo I took of the letter Pat Brophy wrote to Gunner Mynarski's mother following his death and posthumus awarding of the Victoria Cross.
Like I said, small world.
-- Edited by 67HEAVEN on Wednesday 11th of November 2009 11:23:11 PM
These personal stories of courage and service are incredible. My boss's uncle was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions during the raid on Dieppe. Cecil Meritt If having an uncle with this courage and barvery wasn't enough, his father was a colourful airman and Ace. Whitey Dahl
My parents never talked much about there life in England during the war years . This I do know that a bomb dropped in the back yard of my grandmothers yard and did not go off. My mother was just a young girl at the time. Everyone was home at the time and would have not survived if it exploded. My father told me he was almost shipped to Canada early in the war with the rest of the children that came over hear to excape the bombing but his dad could not go through with it. He turned 18 in 45 and was shipped over to Germany just as the war ended. They both had a little luck on there side.
Mynarski fought his way through flaming hydraulic fluid fanned by wind howling through holes in the fuselage in an effort to free the trapped crewman. Only when he thought Brophy was beyond hope, and with his own clothing on fire, did Mynarski give up. Even so, he paused, stood to attention and saluted Brophy before bailing out, his chute aflame.
Brophy, who said later the Lancaster "slammed into the earth like the sound of a thousand sledgehammers," was miraculously thrown clear. He came to rest against a small tree about 30 to 50 feet away from the wreckage and then hooked up with the French Resistance. Mynarski died of his burns.
Hang on, Carl. Here's a photo I took of the letter Pat Brophy wrote to Gunner Mynarski's mother following his death and posthumus awarding of the Victoria Cross.
Like I said, small world.
Wow Thanks for that! It brings memories and .....Amazing, how the actions and results from over 50 years ago, can still impact us today... thank you so much for the info.....
Amen! especially the young (and I have spoiled my kids too)
I was thinking, that since I have time, I want to start a registry for all the ex-military in our area.. The war vets, have been kept track off, but with their numbers getting smaller.. I see a lot of Vet plates around. and I am reminded that, even though I did not see war action, I was trained, and ready to go... Good winter project I will Start at the DMV
? Robin Williams, wearing a shirt that says 'I love New York ' in Arabic. You gotta love Robin Williams........Even if he's nuts! Leave it to Robin Williams to come up with the perfect plan. What we need now is for our UN Ambassador to stand up and repeat this message. Robin Williams' plan...(Hard to argue with this logic!)
'I see a lot of people yelling for peace but I have not heard of a plan for peace. So, here's one plan.'
1) 'The US / UK ? Canada , AUSTRALIA will apologize to the world for our 'interference' in their affairs, past & present. You know, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Tojo, Noriega, Milosevic, Hussein, and the rest of those 'good 'ole' boys', we will never 'interfere' again.
2) We will withdraw our troops from all over the world, starting with Germany , South Korea , the Middle East , and the Philippines . They don't want us there. We would station troops at our borders. No one allowed sneaking through holes in the fence.
3) All illegal aliens have 90 days to get their affairs together and leave We'll give them a free trip home. After 90 days the remainder will be gathered up and deported immediately, regardless of whom or where they are from. They're illegal!!! France will welcome them.. 4) All future visitors will be thoroughly checked and limited to 90 days unless given a special permit!!!! No one from a terrorist nation will be allowed in. If you don't like it there, change it yourself and don't hide here. Asylum would never be available to anyone. We don't need any more cab drivers or 7-11 cashiers.
5) No foreign 'students' over age 21. The older ones are the bombers. If they don't attend classes, they get a 'D' and it's back home baby. 6) The US / UK Canada , Australia will make a strong effort to become self-sufficient energy wise. This will include developing nonpolluting sources of energy but will require a temporary drilling of oil in the Alaskan wilderness. The caribou will have to cope for a while
7) Offer Saudi Arabia and other oil producing countries $10 a barrel for their oil. If they don't like it, we go someplace else. They can go somewhere else to sell their production. (About a week of the wells filling up the storage sites would be enough.) 8) If there is a famine or other natural catastrophe in the world, we will not 'interfere.' They can pray to Allah or whomever, for seeds, rain, cement or whatever they need. Besides most of what we give them is stolen or given to the army. The people who need it most get very little, if anything.
9) Ship the UN Headquarters to an isolated island someplace. We don't need the spies and fair weather friends here. Besides, the building would make a good homeless shelter or lockup for illegal aliens.
10) All Americans must go to charm and beauty school. That way, no one can call us 'Ugly Americans' any longer. The Language we speak is ENGLISH..learn it...or LEAVE...Now, isn't that a winner of a plan? 'The Statue of Liberty is no longer saying 'Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses.' She's got a baseball bat and she's yelling, 'you want a piece of me?' '
lol thank you Robin Williams is a comedian I took it as a joke, although some, of someones ideas were appealing.. I didn't tak it as Gospel lol thanks for looking out for me.... ever thing of restoring a 66?
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.....Amazing, how the actions and results from over 50 years ago, can still impact us today... thank you so much for the info.....
(and I have spoiled my kids too)