Veterans and Veterans

Jan Zdiarský

I’ve been around aircraft and the field of who got together with these veterans much

aviation history long enough to have been earlier and thus were among the first of

influenced, and even touched, by things that a class of people without first hand experienhave had the ability to endure. These are ce of the war to document the memories of

the things that have this ability to endure, those that did, in this way. It took me up to

as long as we maintain respect and honor. 1994 before fate would afford me the chanI would like to touch on the theme of ‘vete- ce of such an incredible experience, and it

rans and veterans’ of the air war from 1939 lasted for some following 20 years. After

to 1945. It’s about people and their aircraft. that, opportunities to meet these veterans

It’s also about a gratitude for when fate smi- became increasingly unique affairs. In 1997,

les.

I got the opportunity to attend my first 100th

When I was a small kid, I read Frantisek Bomb Group reunion, and among the some

Fajt’s book ‘Sestrelen’ (translated as ‘Shot six hundred participants, over two hundred

Down’), which my mother had saved as so- were B-17 veterans. The most recent, and so

mething valuable, because ‘our’ socialist far the last, such meeting in 2019 saw about

regime at the time considered it ‘unsuitab- twenty. It was a powerful experience, for

le’ for mass consumption. It was a restric- which I will be thankful until the end of my

ted book. Thumbing through the index that days. For someone who has a strong connecmade an impression on her in her youth, tion to Second World War aviation, drawing

I would never have guessed then that later, on the memories and experiences of these

there would come a time when my father airmen was an incredible gift. The friendshiwould go into the woods in early September ps formed with these men and women are

to gather wild mushrooms so that Mr. Fajtl something the effects of which will continue

could take a basket of them home when he through shear depth of strength long after

came by for a visit. He loved those things they are no longer with us. They are too

so much…At that point, it’s not just about many to name here, and, in any case, many

a form of hero worship, of the author of the important friends would not get mentioned,

book from my youth, but about the beauty of despite deserving to in the utmost. But hahuman relationships that say so much, or, for ving mentioned women may surprise some.

me, the verification of certain unexpected I would point to Joy Kadeckova, of the Brichildhood perceptions. During the time that tish WAAF, who married a Czech pilot and

I was able to take full advantage of meeting came with him to Prague. I remember fondly

veterans (opportunities that are now gone her cute Czech skills and English humor. Toforever), I had, given the direction of my day, one of the streets in the Prague 9 neiinterests, met many Czechoslovak, British, ghborhood is named for her….

German and American veterans. If I include There are some experiences with veterans

my participation in the 100th BG reunions I had, that can´t be simply shared in such

in the United States, they numbered in the article like this one. I can think of several

hundreds. The vehicle that made such incre- of a countless number of Prague restaurants

dible meetings possible was, rather natura- that witnessed our heartful and funnz getlly, were my activities within the Museum -togethers…older gentlemen that endured

of the Air Battle Over the Ore Mountains on the flames of hell in wartime, and later the

September 11th, 1944, with the Union of absolute cruelty of socialism and the perCzechoslovak Foreign Airmen, 1939-45 (Cze- secution under the hammer of communism,

coslovak ex-RAF members). I have friends and they endured. As long as life allowed it,

after which even their endurance was not

enough.

Friendship, by its very nature, has value.

And the types that I am writing about also

carry a unique spin. I would also add that

with our colleagues at the Museum of the Air

Battle Over the Ore Mountains, we not only

received, but we attempted to give much

back as well, first and foremost, through our

efforts in organizing veteran reunions of former enemies. In September, 1997, our museum was opened by the most professional of

people, veterans, Americans and Germans,

who met and fought over our Ore Mountain

region on September 11th, 1944. Here, they

met again, after 53 years, and we were ultimately the ones who again received, in the

form of friendship that was displayed by our

guests, former combatants who so brilliantly

demonstrated the value of forgiveness when

it is understood that there is a deep connection between them. That is the link that was

provided by the spirit of understanding and

friendship, even by those who could no longer attend.

We must never forget. Regardless of which

side of the front they found themselves on.

They are a part of a massive conflict, which

none of them wanted. Please, do not assume

for a moment that I am supporting or denying any of the horrors that the war brought

and in which they, in one form or another,

had some part to play. I don’t want to do

that. And I have no desire to blur the line

between good and evil. I do, however, wish

to point out that none from the German

side, who joined us, were dignitaries to the

horrors committed by their leadership. They

were warriors whose position was dictated

by the situation that they found themselves

in.

Beside the human veterans, we also have

their machines. I don’t necessarily mean

the museum pieces, but those warbirds

that most of us will know from airshows and

various parades. These are the machines

within whose engine beats a heart, and oil,

glycol and fuel pumps through their ‘veins’.

Way back when, no one could imagine that

some these examples would far outlive those that flew them.

Today, they are the jewels in the crowns of

aviation day events, and even though it is intuitive that at some point in the future, conditions and laws will simply not allow these

aircraft to take to the air anymore, and they

will be ‘relegated’ to ‘mere’ museum pieces,

it is nevertheless reasonable to assume that

this is not coming relatively soon. The people that take care of these warbirds do it with

Veterans of the 100th BG, 339th FG,

55th FG and Jagdgeschwader 4 during the

Museum of Air Battle over the Ore Mountains opening ceremony; September 1997

INFO Eduard - May 2021

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