[Leica] IMG: John's birthday - not a WW2 post

[lrzeitlin at gmail.com (Lawrence Zeitlin)]

I hate to perseverate on the WW2 theme but this is unlike any of the other
posts.

Yesterday I attended the 87th birthday of John Sekelsky, one of the last
surviving airmen who flew Flying Fortresses over Germany during the war.
During the height of the hostilities as many as 1000 B-17s, each carrying a
crew of 10 men, would fly in a single raid. Of the 20,000 or more airmen who
flew these planes, only a handful are still alive. John is one of the
fortunate ones.

Unlike many of the combat vets, mostly foot soldiers, who are reluctant to
talk about wartime experiences, the former airmen are quite verbal. John is
a talented painter and painted pictures of many of his most memorable
experiences - at least as he remembers them.


Here is John greeting guests at his party, glass in hand.

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/John+Sekelsky.JPG.html


He was part of the entertainment too.

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/Sekelsky+and+accordian.JPG.html


A painting of his B-17 on fire returning from a raid on Berlin.

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/Burning+B-17.JPG.html


Larry Z