The Real Air Heroes

Did you see the movie PEARL HARBOR? or any other American movie about the Japanese attack? Well, most likely there was a scene where some good looking "Fly Boys" took to the sky in the middle of the attack, and brazenly got into some serious dogfighting with the Japanese. Well, here's a photo of the real life air heroes. Left to right 1st Lt. Lewis M. Sanders, 2nd Lt. Philip M. Rasmussen, 2nd Lt. Kenneth M. Taylor, 2nd Lt. George S. Welch, 2nd Lt. Harry W. Brown [P-36 fighter Wheeler]

Together these guys shot down 9 Japanese planes. One of their comrades did not survive.

Here's another shot of them. According to the caption in the Hickam Air Force archive, "Nine Japanese planes were shot down by these five young air corps officers during the raids on Oahu a week ago Sunday. Left to right they are-2nd Lt. Harry W. Brown, who bagged one Japanese plane; 2nd Lt. Philip M. Rasmmussen, one plane; 2nd Lt. Kenneth M. Taylor, two planes; 2nd Lt. George S. Welch, four planes; 1st Lt. Lewis M. Sanders, one plane. Lts. Welsh and Taylor are to receive Distinguished Service Crosses."

Now here's where it gets personal. Did you read the post about Bill and Ruth Cope, and how Ruth missed the evacuation of Hickam housing area because she went out to Waimanalo to see Bill? Well, Bill and Ruth were good friends of Phil Rasmussen. He was the best man at their wedding and they remained friends for sixty years afterwards.

In the next few posts, I'll show you the connection among them. I'm hoping to make the war "personal" and for you. I'd like you to get to know these young people who played a part in the early days of the war.

Bill Cope was the young officer who was in charge of herding the planes in a tight formation, making them an easy target for the Japanese. After the declaration of war Ruth Cope became a charter member of the Women Air Raid Defense. That women's unit was under the direction of the Army Air Corps and Ken Taylor had direct overview of it.

I hope these people will be real to you--that you'll be able to picture Ruth playing golf with General Tinker, that you will "be there" when she finds out about his death.

But, right now, just take a look at those young guys. The real life heroes of December 7, 1941.

Phil Rasmussen died in 2006. Ruth Cope died in 2007 and Bill Cope died in 2008.