Francis Gabreski - Mike DObrzelecki opisuje 7 lat temu ...

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Niestety nie mam tlumaczenia ale wydaje mi sie ze warto umiescic tutaj wspomnienie tego dnia opisane przez Mike'a

GABBY GABRESKI FUNERAL FOR A FALLEN EAGLE

By Mike Dobrzelecki



Family and friends started gathering around 9:30am at the Mangano Funeral Home on Deer Park Avenue, much the same as at countless other ordinary funerals. The seven Suffolk County Police Harleys and half dozen Crown Victoria cruisers parked outside the funeral parlor, however, was a clear sign that this was going to be anything, but, an ordinary funeral. We had assembled to pay our respects to one of Americas heroes from the Greatest Generation Colonel Francis S.Gabreski the top-scoring U.S.Army Air Forces ace during World War II in the European Theater of War with 28 air-to-air kills and a Mig Ace, to boot, with 6.5 little red stars stenciled on his official records from the Korean War. The motorcycle cops were bundled against the chill wind, but the sun was shining bright, with unlimited visibility good flying weather for Gabbys Last Flight.



Gabby lay in state, his visage serene. His daughter, Francie, softly whispered, Hes happy; hes with mom now. Kay, a wonderful woman, had died tragically about ten years before in a car accident. Kays husband was nattily dressed in a suit, ready for a night out on the town in heaven with her. Just in case, though, Gabbys favorite red flight suit he often wore to air shows was stowed at his feet, as he requested bound to be some good flying where hes going better be prepared. Contrasting with the formality of the suit, a Hawaiian lei, made from what appeared to be tiny roses, hung around his neck. His family explained that it was a remembrance of the happy years they all spent during Gabbys service stints in that tropical paradise.



Hi daughter-in law, Terry, though diminutive in stature, stood tall in her full dress USAF uniform, sporting one silver star on each shoulder, denoting her rank as a general in the 21st Century Air Force. Her husband is none other than Don Gabreski, Gabbys oldest son who recently retired from the USAF as a colonel (once again, the wife outranked the husband). As often happens during wakes and funerals, the conversation drifted into the usual hushed small talk. Don originally had flown F-4 Phantoms, the heavy twin-engine fighter bomber originally designed in the late 1950s and used extensively during the Vietnam War. He then moved on to the more agile F-16 Fighting Falcon. He said that is was a little like transitioning from a 1960s vintage Cadillac to a Ferrari. Another Gabreski offspring, Robert, had also recently retired from the USAF (see a pattern here?), where he had flown AC-130 Spectre gunships, which were first used in Vietnam and continue to be the fire-support ship of choice in Afghanistan and Iraq. Robert participated in most of the post-Vietnam War applications of this uniquely devastating piece of aerial hardware, having resurfaced portions of Grenada, Panama and Saddam Husseins hapless minions during the first Gulf War. Yes, Gabby had his nice big Polish-American family gathered around him 9 children, 18 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren and, at least one of his two surviving sisters. Coming from a large Polish-American family, myself (my mom had 11 brothers and sisters), I felt right at home.



The church service was held at St.Matthews in Dix Hills on Long Island Gabbys church. Gabby was a devoutly religious man, saying his rosary everyday and attending Mass a couple of times during the week. It must have paid off he lived through so much. Three of his children spoke at the service, each touching on the common themes that Gabby lived by Honor, Service, Duty, Courage, Responsibility, Leadership and Faith in God. The pastor made special mention that, of all Gabbys accomplishments and accolades and there were many it was his personal relationship with God that was his greatest achievement. Gabby would have loved that part of the eulogy. ABC and CBS TV covered it all.



After the mass, the funeral cortege assembled and Suffolk Countys Finest went into high gear, executing the operation with military efficiency. Truth be told; I wondered how they were going to handle the procession, which was strung out over 3 miles. My eyes went wide as saucers as they proceeded to shut down the Long Island Expressway, T-H-E major 8 lane highway that runs the length of Long Islandin a word, WOW if anyone rated that V.I.P. treatment, it was Gabby. As we pulled into Calverton National Cemetery, about 17 miles away, the full scope of the military pageant revealed itself, with an honor guard and firing detail from McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey, where my brother, Ron, is stationed. Brass were everywhere I never saw so many generals in one spot. A vintage Boeing PT-17 Stearman biplane primary trainer, like the type that Gabby struggled with as a flight cadet, did lazy loops on the edge of the field.



Final prayers spoken, the seven airmen in the firing detail let off a 21-gun salute, the first volley of which flushed a herd of deer that went bounding off into the next meadow - a surreal moment, if there ever was one. The plaintive wail of Taps blown by a lone bugler in the distance echoed across the field. A moment later, four F-15E Strike Eagles from the 4th Fighter Wing out of Seymour Johnson AFB in North Carolina flew in on a diagonal across the cemetery. The leader executed a perfect missing man maneuver, spiraling up and pushing over, with the team reassembling with balletic precision over the field if anyone rated that expensive heavy metal it was Gabby. His one-star daughter-in-law, Terry, took particular delight in the fact that the 4th Fighter Wing was Gabbys old unit in Korea. As a final act, family and friends were invited to file past the gravesite and place a flower on Gabbys coffin, with those in uniform saluting as military protocol requires. After the family had passed, I noticed a familiar weathered face in the queue General Mike Jackson (retired) one of Gabbys fellow 56th Fighter Group members during World War II, and a famous pilot in his own right if anyone rated that type of personal send-off it was Gabby.



The service broke up and family and friends returned to their cars to retire back down the Long Island Expressway, sand escort this time, to relax with a drink and some sustenance, to reminisce and to tell, yet, more Gabby stories - The place? None other than the 56th Fighter Group Restaurant on Route 110, right next to the old location for the Republic Aircrafts factory, where they built the P-47 Thunderbolt fighters that Gabby flew in World War II a more fitting place for Gabbys funeral luncheon, I could not dream of.



I mourn his passing and shall miss him terribly.



To view an article on the the exhibit I created in tribute to Gabby for the Polish Museum of Military Heritage in New York, log onto http://www.njipms.org> , click on Features, then scroll down to the article on the exhibit