On this Veterans' Day, 2008, I'm happy to be one of the millions of voices who once again extend great thanks and appreciation to all our veterans, living and dead.
Also, I think my brother Mike, a veteran of Vietnam---two hitches, one including the shootdown of his Cobra helicopter http://www.vhfcn.org/missle.html in June, 1972---will be proud to know that his classmate and friend Steve Brixen has co-authored a book about a World War II belly turret gunner named George T. Smith of Clark Fork.
According an article by Caroline Lobsinger in today's Daily Bee www.bonnercountydailybee.com , Steve heard Mr. Smith telling his story in a locker room at the Sandpoint West Athletic Center. Even before seeing the storyteller's face, Steve was hooked. That initial conversation led to their collaboration on a book called Clay Pigeons: The Life, Times and Survival of a B-17 Belly Turret Gunner.
The final product is available at www.amazon.com, so check it out. Steve is a phenomenal writer and a great lover of America, so I have no doubt about the quality of the story he and Mr. Smith have compiled.
Steve says he's happy to have told the story, and in the Daily Bee article, Mr. Smith says, "'We faced the dragons of war--individually and as a team--we became dragon slayers . . . we have lessons to teach. A coffin is no place for these lessons. Our memories need to survive our passing.'"
One final thought on this Veterans' Day: Steve says if his book encourages someone to thank a veteran and shake his/her hand, the project will have accomplished his original goal.
Again, thank you, veterans, and thank you, Steve.
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