Rising to the Occasion

Memorial Day brings many feelings… thankfulness, reverence, respect. I always take a moment to remember my Grandpa George, who was a veteran of World War II.

During this past year, with everything going on I’ve really missed having my Grandpa here. He was a pillar for our family. Nothing phased him. He remained calm in the face of any calamity. Now that I’m a parent, I realize how hard this is sometimes -- especially when you are inundated with so much negativity and troubles in the world -- to be that rock for your family. In the spirit of this week, I started to reflect on Grandpa George’s life experiences and how living through some of the greatest events in the last century made him who he was.

George H. McKibbin was born in 1923 on a farm in New York during the Great Depression. They faced hardships and stuck together to face the challenges life threw at them. He was raised with an impeccable work ethic, helping with farm chores from dawn until dusk even at a young age. When he was older, World War II struck. He enlisted in the Army Air Corporation at 20 and was commissioned as a Lieutenant Commander to pilot a B 17 aircraft due to his experience flying crop dusting airplanes.

Talk about responsibility… the B 17 “flying fortress” was a large bomber used in all arenas during WW2. It cost about 2.7 million in today’s dollars. It had a 10 man crew and carried a payload of 8,000 lbs. of bombs. Imagine being 20 years old and having that life and death charge entrusted to you.  

Perusing old manuals and flight logs, I found this quote:

“Your assignment to the B-17 airplane means that you are no longer just a pilot. You are now an airplane commander, charged with all the duties and responsibilities of a command post. You are now flying a 10 man weapon. It is your airplane and your crew. You are responsible for the safety and efficiency of the crew at all times – not just when you are flying and fighting, but for the full 24 hours of every day while you are commander.”

What immense responsibility for a 20 year old farm boy. He must have had doubts, felt overwhelmed and scared. But he knew he was needed to protect his country and freedom, and rose to the occasion.

If he were alive today, he would no doubt tell me that we can handle a lot more than we think. He always said “don’t expect life to be easy.” I thought he was referring to working hard, but now I think he meant the challenges we overcome shape and prepare us for the next thing that is thrown our way. Life is about facing obstacles and meeting challenges when those around us need us to.

Luckily Grandpa George flew only a few missions in Europe before the end of the war, and he made it home safely. For all those who served, and for those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom… take a moment to appreciate them and their sacrifice….and the inspiration and perspective we can learn from their bravery, to help all of us face our own challenges during these extraordinary times.