After returning from China and going through the Air Corps Rehabilitation Center in Miami, I was assigned to Wright Patterson field in Dayton, Ohio. It was my last assignment prior to discharge following the end of WW2. I was one of the fortunate enlisted men at that time, having been married a few months earlier, and with a high enough rank, Vinci and I were able to live off base. She kept busy with her modeling, and I resumed work on the line in aircraft maintenance.

One beautiful day in August, 1945, I was working near one of the main runways, when an announcement over the loud speaker system alerted us to a demonstration about to take place. We were advised to look to the west, where we could see in the distance a 2 engine plane approaching.

As it came nearer we could see that it was a P-38, and by the sound we could tell that it was at full speed, and at about 200 feet above the runway. Then from out of nowhere, we saw another aircraft approaching, although I don't remember hearing it over the noise of the P-38. The 2 aircraft passed our position almost simultaneously, with the 2nd aircraft, which I learned later was an F-80, at approximately 100 feet above the runway, sweeping underneath the P-38 making it appear to be standing still.

The thrill of that demonstration I will never forget. I had read about Jet fighters in Stars and Stripes, but this was my first experience to see one. To see that F-80 pass underneath that P-38 -- swish -- and then turn upward seemingly hanging on its nose was almost unbelievable.

That was 55 years ago, and by today's standards for fighter aircraft the F-80 was the equivalent of a Model T Ford. But the thrill of that day sent chills down my spine.

Copyright 2000, H. Thomas Flanagan