THUNDERBIRD HAS DONE IT AGAIN: ERNIE PYLE & GENERAL DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER'S FAVORITE WORLD WAR II STORY - PART 2

THE GREATEST GENERATION It was 2012, at home in south Louisiana, I sat across the table from a man who achieved so many great things during his lifetime. Lucille, his wife of sixty-seven years, and over thirty family members cheered him on as he struggled to blow out two candles representing ninety-two years of life. Joseph Roderick Myshrall had been Millinocket, Maine’s favorite son. He was a three-sport star in high school, college, semi-pro, and almost a Brooklyn Dodger. A World War II decorated hero, business owner, community volunteer, and was respected by those who knew him. A member of what Tom Brokaw called, “The Greatest Generation.” Like many of that generation’s children, my siblings, and I knew relatively little about our father’s war experiences. His occasional reminiscing would end in a sad forlorn look, so we learned not to ask. HAUNTING MEMORIES In his later years he recounted a haunting story about his pal, an airplane mechanic. Rod described what happened that night: “At the beginning of the war we both served on the ground crew in England, then we were stationed together in North Africa. He was one hell of a mechanic-one of the best-and a good friend. He was scheduled to be shipped back home, so we threw a big party in the mess tent the night before. There was a bad thunderstorm that evening. He decided to leave the party early to finish up an engine he’d been working on. We all told him to leave the damn thing for someone else, but he just wasn’t that way. He threw down one last beer, grabbed his old oil stained twenty-inch steel wrench that went with him everywhere, and shoved it into his waistband behind him. We were at the door, rain pouring down on top of us, beers in hand, stumbling, laughing, and yelling at him to come back. As he was running across the airfield, the dark sky was lit up by lightning across the airdrome. Rolling thunder shook the air and the ground around us, and suddenly, zzzz-craaack kaboom…boom boom! Our laughing and smiles turned into stunned silence and disbelief. Lightning found that wrench and struck him right in the ass. The beer slipped from my hand to the ground, and time seemed to stand still for a moment. I sprinted to him through the rain, praying all the way. But it was too late. He was dead before I could get to his smoldering body. ‘Why!? Why God!?’ I screamed angrily toward heaven. ‘He was going home tomorrow!’ He was a swell guy, a really swell guy.” HAPPY MEMORIES But there was one story he told often that would bring a sparkle to his eyes. One of bravery, and adventure about an inspiring, immortal, legendary plane named Thunderbird. She was like a famous relative we never knew but often heard about. The Service Record booklet in his Discharge packet has a page titled, “Things I Want to Remember.” The lone entry has one word in his handwriting, “Thunderbird.” The writings of the great Pulitzer Prize winning, American journalist and war correspondent Ernie Pyle, and our father’s bedtime stories would make her come alive in my dreams, and imagination. Her story is about faithfulness, near death heroism, and a revered legend that has silently slipped from the records of history but is worthy of being remembered. JOIN US IN THE ADVENTURE My big, wonderful family asked me to preserve dad’s stories, and include a little family history before it too silently slips away, so I wrote this for them. But I’m thrilled you decided to join us in this adventure. I hope the magical story of Thunderbird captures your imagination like it did mine and those who lived through it. -- John Joseph Roderick Myshrall, a proud son