Peeing Your Pants

Trey Smith

Back in June 2006, I shared with readers my thrill to see and go inside vintage World War II aircraft that had come to Hoquiam as part of the Wings of Freedom Tour. Glancing at the Aberdeen newspaper last night, I noticed that the tour has returned to Hoquiam.

The article in The Daily World focuses on the recollections of Hal Johnson, age 93, who piloted a B-17 Flying Fortress during the big war.

Johnson, who lives in Aberdeen, said piloting one was a terrifying experience, even after 800 hours flight time and 35 bombing missions. He flew out of England during the war, mostly over Germany.

“I was scared to death — petrified. Sixty below zero was the temperature outside, and it was just as cold inside,” he said. “Then you’d take a couple shots off the bow and you’d turn the heater off and sweat.”

One bombing mission saw 23 of 32 aircraft go down.

This is the part of the "war experience" that I feel is too often missing in the American glorification of war. Actors who portray war heroes aren't truly "petrified" and politicians who revel in our military process don't face the fear that soldiers and pilots do 24/7 on the battlefield.

It's been said that war is hell and, from my conversations with veterans, it seems that this is a massive understatement. More than one former soldier or pilot has told me that it was not uncommon at all for them to pee their pants out of abject fear and terror! Many relive this terror over and over again for the rest of their lives.

Whenever someone talks to me about the best way to honor veterans, the first thought that ALWAYS comes to my mind is a simple one: Stop making war. As long as nations -- particularly the United States -- keep attacking people, it is a guarantee that there will be more veterans and more fatalities. If war is hell, then you willingly are creating hell for tens of thousands of people or more.

In my mind, that is one of the worst legacies any of us could leave behind.