Just dwaned on me, I once saw Gary Coleman from "Different Strokes" at Caboose hobbies in Denver, does that count?
He was in the middle of a sale of a large stack of boxes of 3-rail stuff at the time so I didn't talk with him...
Great story Marty. Those are special ocassions for sure.
No great meets in a hobby shop but I'm thrilled to speak with Marty and Barry Broskowitz when I get to York!! See you next Wed night at the DCS dinner!
There was a real good HBO movie on the Tuskegee Airmen. Seek it out and watch
Movie Info
Based on a true story, The Tuskegee Airmen chronicles the experiences of the first African-American fighter pilots in the U.S. Army Air Corps. Using Hannibal Lee (Laurence Fishburne) as a focal point, the movie follows the airmen from their initial training at Tuskegee, Alabama, through their combat assignments during World War II. Featuring fascinating vintage military planes and exciting air-combat footage, the film also depicts the racism encountered by the pilots. In one example, the airmen … More
| Rating: | PG-13 |
| Genre: | Documentary , Drama , Action & Adventure |
| Directed By: | Robert Markowitz |
| Written By: | Ron Hutchinson, Trey Ellis, Paris H. Qualles |
| In Theaters: | Aug 26, 1995 Wide |
| On DVD: | Jan 23, 2001 |
| Runtime: | 1 hr. 47 min. |
HBO Video
Originally Posted by L.I.TRAIN:
There was a real good HBO movie on the Tuskegee Airmen. Seek it out and watch
I'm still holding out for the movie on the Tuskegee Airmen that the vets deserve. Neither the HBO nor the Lucas one was very well written.
The Lucas produced moive from a couple of years ago had all the right backgrounds, equipment, uniforms and props, but it suffered a horrible script. It was taken right out of the comic books and had all the worst cliches of the movies written during WW2.
They deserve a WW2 version of the movie, "Glory".
The Tuskegee Airmen came to visit my Elementry school in the early 1980's. Separately a friend of mines' father was part of the flight crew of the Memphis Belle.
I am always amazed and humbled by the service African-Americans such as the Tuskegee Airmen gave to this country in WWI, WWII, and Korea. They fought (and many died) for a country that hadn't yet truly guaranteed their civil rights.
Thanks for sharing, Marty. It must have been a wonderful conversation to be part of.
Marty:
What a great happenstance/serendipitous encounter! Seeing as he was a Tuskegee Airman, I'm sure he's not a spring chicken, but he looks GREAT for his age! It would have been an honor (and humbling) to meet such a man as that.
Here a few years ago I held the door open at our local Chinese food buffet (the wife and I like to frequent) for an elderly couple that was leaving. As the gent tottered by using a cane, I noticed his hat had a US Army Infantry insignia on it of some sort. I asked if he served in the Armed Forces, he replied that yes, he was in WW2. I asked him where he served and he told me he was involved in the liberation of Italy and his platoon had fought their way through much of Italy. I was truly humbled and almost tearful as I thanked him for his service to our country. He seemed very touched that anyone even cared.
quote:Not in the war hero category, but I met Neil Young at a train store.
And I'm sure it was a thrill to meet someone you admired.
I'm afraid Mr. Young and myself wouldn't have much in common musically, politically, or much of any way, so therefore I wouldn't have much (if anything) to say to him.
Fighting 99th I had an uncle he was in the navey in ww2.He served the captain and offices lunch and dinner.But when the ship got into a battle.He maned a antiaircraft gun he loaded it ammo into it.Some fired it he said one day the firing the got his head blown off.He said it was all over him but an officer came up and tolded."You get up and keep firing you better not stop.When he left this world he got full navey treatment at his funeral.Thing is I didn,t hear about the the Tuskegee Airman until I was 3 year of high school.I would have liked to have them at my first few years in school.Oh one more thing once pbs did a story about tuskegee airman.It show some movie reels of the tuskegeeairmen.You will never did the narated this he was a movie star for a while.But he became a spokeman for ge.He became president in the eighties.I have never meet the tuskegeeairman but that would alsome.Well maybe some day I will.
Originally Posted by Marty Fitzhenry:
This Saturday, I went to Charles Ro. In the lobby, Charlie has several large scale WW2 war birds hanging from the ceiling. I noticed a gent looking up at the P51-D Mustang model. It was Howard Carter, an original Tuskegee Airman. I got to spend some time conversing with this great American hero. I shook his hand & thanked him for his service & the great job all the Tuskeege Airmen did.
So Marty, is Mr. Carter an O Gauge guy???
About 20 years ago I was at Canton wandering around the NFL Hall of Fame when I ran into Johnny Unitas. Great guy, we talked for about 20 minutes about the difference in football from then to back when he started in the NFL.
I haven't met anyone famous in a train store yet but there's still a chance. On the topic of WWII Veterans the elementary school I work maintenance at every year puts on 2 ceremonies each year for Memorial Day & Veterans Day where the public is invited in to see and the local Veterans that served in WWII and other wars are invited in as the guests of honor. It's always a honor to speak with these great people. I feel I have a connection to them as I had an Uncle who fought in WWII in the Battle of the Bulge and my dad, due to having polio as a child had a metal rod in his leg wasn't allowed to join the service but served his country from home in Geneva, NY as during WWII The American Can Company converted over to The American Torpedo Company and my dad was in charge of building the missile sensing heads for the missiles. My dad and uncle are both gone now but I feel they are with me those days when I get to speak with the veterans and always thank them for keeping us our freedom. God bless them all!
We had Carl Brashear (1st black Navy Master Diver) as a guest speaker at the command I worked for back in the 90s, he was as "salty" as they get and great to talk to.
I also met the "Band of Brothers" when the were at the Macarthur Memorial book signing after the movie came out, again some great guys to talk to.
Met Admiral Elmo Zumwalt when he was running for the Virginia senator's seat.
Seen a number of sports folks at one of the golf courses I work (Michael Vick was there this past Monday) and the Upton brothers have an annual golf outing there too which includes a number of local ball players that made the big leagues.
But the best WW2 folks I knew had to be both my parents (dad in the 9th air force, mom a British nurse) and their brothers and sisters (mom's sis was also a nurse, her husband was a Brit tank commander)
Lee
As an insider I cant debate the quality of the HBO movie, however the movie does expose the airmen to millions who like myself never knew it existed
On Model RR's just checked out you website and looks like you have nice RR and admire your weathering on the vehicles and rolling stock
Originally Posted by p51:
Originally Posted by L.I.TRAIN:
There was a real good HBO movie on the Tuskegee Airmen. Seek it out and watch
I'm still holding out for the movie on the Tuskegee Airmen that the vets deserve. Neither the HBO nor the Lucas one was very well written.
The Lucas produced moive from a couple of years ago had all the right backgrounds, equipment, uniforms and props, but it suffered a horrible script. It was taken right out of the comic books and had all the worst cliches of the movies written during WW2.
They deserve a WW2 version of the movie, "Glory".
Sorry but the Tuskegee squadron didn't do anything more than thousands of other WW II pilots. Another Doolittle airman just passed the other day-now there were some guys that hung it all out !! I have known and worked with so many WW II vets and all were good people.
At the ballgame tonight for Jackie Robinson Day, the Phillies also honored the Tuskegee Airmen before the game.
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Originally Posted by Marty Fitzhenry:
Alan, love those J79 engines. I have been lucky to have met a few of the Airmen in my life. I love these guys. A few years ago Dotty and I were at the huge air show in Stuart Florida when I got to meet Dutch Van Kirk. He was the navigator on the Enola Gay. Another great American Hero.
Marty, I envy you, having met one of the Tuskegee Airman. Those chaps were amazing. Never lost a man.
I love the J79's too. When I was in Korea in the 70's, I got to know a lot of people, and used to go to the test cell and crawl all over the J79's while they were going through their paces. Talk about loud, ear plugs and radio head sets barely put a damper on the roar! I also got to fly in the F4 simulator. The only thing I forgot to do was put down the landing gear. I guess I polished the belly.
Don
