Chapter 14

After taking a break for lunch, Edward continued to recall his experiences in World War 2, and his photo albums viewed by Nick and Linda.

“I sure enjoyed the home cooking by Mom and a closer friendship with my dad. I must have gained close to ten pounds from her great cooking. My Christmas and New Year’s celebrations were tempered with the thoughts of those I’d served with that didn’t make it home.”

“I returned from a very restful leave, reporting to Naval Air Station San Diego. I couldn’t take my mind off Helen, wondering if she had been flown by someone else or towed to the junkyard. I know it was ridiculous to think like that, but she was more than a plane to me.”

“I was told that my new job would be pilot training and doing coastal patrols. I flew a different Corsair but preferred my Helen to any other plane. A few weeks passed by, and I managed to fly to Miramar and have a look at Helen. I was satisfied that she was where I’d left her, and, unable to take her for a spin, I returned to San Diego. The second week of March, I was instructed to report to Miramar, where I met Major Millington.”

“‘You should consider taking off those rags you’re wearing and putting on a real uniform,’ Major Millington joked, greeting me with a firm handshake. ‘Edward, the 124th is being reactivated and moved to a new base of operations at Marine Corps Air Station Mojave. VMF-213 is also being reactivated, and I’d like you to join us again to fight the Japanese.’”

“I was stunned by his gracious offer and quickly accepted.”

“‘I’m glad you accepted because I already cleared your transfer back to us from the Navy.’”

“We walked towards an adjacent hangar, continuing to talk. ‘Will I be able to fly Helen again?’ I asked him.”

“‘I don’t know, we’re being issued a brand new version of the Corsair, the 1-D,’ he said, as we entered the hangar.”

“Parked beside Helen was a shiny new Corsair. The first thing I noticed, besides the familiar shape, was the one-piece canopy instead of what we called the birdcage. As we approached, a recognizable face came into view: Bill MacDonald. We shook hands, and he told me about the improvements the newer version of Corsair had.”

“‘She has an improved Pratt and Whitney engine that’s water-injected to give it 250 more horsepower. The under wings have permanent rails that will hold and launch eight rockets instead of two, as well as two brackets for two 1,000 pound bombs and a droppable fuel tank.’”

“Wow, I wish my Helen had all these features,” I said, walking around her. I wanted to sit in the new Corsair, but I jokingly said that Helen might object.”

“Bill helped me prepare Helen, and I flew her to her new home at Mohave. When I parked her, two familiar faces walked towards me. I was happy to see Captain Howard Finn and Captain William Crowe. I was introduced to Major David Marshall, who was the commander of VMF-213. He said our work would be cut out for us because only he and Captain Ed Shaw from the 213th had combat experience. Along with Major Millington, Finn, Crowe, and me, only six of us had seen combat action.”

“During the next several weeks, we ferried new Corsairs to Mohave as other new members arrived. What a contrast in temperatures with the scorching heat of the desert floor, compared to the coolness of the high altitude of the snow-capped mountains.”

“I remember that in the middle of April, I had Helen up for a leisurely flight. I felt the engine running rough and saw dark smoke coming from the exhaust. When I landed, I noticed quite a gathering around a Corsair marked with the number 000. I asked Finny what all the commotion was about, and he said that Charles Lindbergh was flying the Corsair. He was at Mojave for several days as a representative of Vought Aircraft, the builders of the Corsair, to talk to us pilots about improvements to the plane.”

“This man was a living aviation legend, and we were all glued to every word he said to us.”

“This must be a picture of you with Mr. Lindbergh and others in the squadron, standing beside his Corsair.” Linda mentioned it, pointing to the photo in the album.