I hope you will each indulge me for a blog entry to honor someone I love, honor and respect.  Yesterday, my father, Ralph Tash, invited my four children, Avi, Aliza, Golan and Daveed to share in an experience that was sentimental, and quite emotional.  My father was a navigator in WWII on a B24 Bomber that the crew called and dubbed Ferp Finesco (they took the first letters from the names of each of the towns they were from and made up a name).  When my dad came to the United States, specifically to Chicago in 1934, he was 12 years old.  Having been born in Russia and leaving Russia to Argentina when he was 6 weeks old, his primary languages were Yiddish and Spanish.  He came here with nothing because his family had to sell everything to come to the United States.

When he graduated Manley High School at the age of 16, and entered college, his family decided for him that Pharmacy was the area he should get his degree in.  Why?  Because that was what was best for his family and the business his brother and my dad had started. 

After receiving his degree, my dad and a fraternity brother were suppose to meet at the recruiting office to sign-up for the Army Air Corp.  To make a long story short, since my dad was not a citizen yet, he was not able to enter as an officer.  He went in as an enlisted soldier and eventually became an Air Cadet and an officer.

My dad served proudly during WWII.  He was a First Lieutenant in the 782nd squadron and served his time running missions over Europe to eventually receive enough points to come back home.  His crew returned intact.

Dad has shared many stories with my brothers and sister over the years, but yesterday was a day that will always be remembered, not only by me, but by my four children.  Yesterday, my dad took us to Waukegan Airport to see a B-24 bomber - “Witchcraft”.  Not only were we able to see the bomber, but we were able to get into it and take a 25 minute ride out over Lake Michigan and back to Waukegan Airport.  We were able to walk around the tight quarters, and could only imagine what it was like for my dad and the other brave airmen. 

I could only imagine the images that were going through my dad’s head yesterday.  Could he still hear the crack of flack that was in the air?  Could he still taste the rations he had to eat on his 9 hour missions?  Did he feel the bitter cold that was obviously prevelant at 20,000 feet above Germany?  Was the noice of the engines yesterday deafening his senses from the noise of machine guns being fired over 60 years ago?  Could he see his buddies faces as they once were - as if it was only yesterday?

My father broke down yesterday.  The man that I respect, love and admire more than anyone else in this world - he showed me emotions.  He wept for his fallen brothers, but more so, he wept for the waste of lives war produces.  But he also wept because he was able to share this with his daugher and 4 of his grandchildren.  His fellow crew members are not around any longer to share that honor so we shed a tear for them and their surviving families.

I publicly thank my father for having the courage and conviction to enlist during WWII and helping to change the world back then.  I publicly thank my father for instilling in me my love for all the United States offers us as citizens that other countries do not offer.  I publicly thank my father for sharing yesterday with my children and I.  And finally, I thank my father for having the courage to once again step onto a B-24 that he swore he would never do after leaving the Ferp Finesco in Italy.

Here is a link for the article that was written about yesterday’s trip.  I hope you enjoy it.  I will be adding some footage from the video my children and I shot onto You Tube and will attach it to a blog entry in the future.

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/474731,5_1_WA19_PILOT_S1.article

Here are the uncut series of videos from our flight on the B-24.  Please excuse the shaking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zvVp-hRSCM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNNbOEjDchk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0LbXGnKxHI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paY1k8fTiOs