battle of the bulge Archives - The 自淫系列 /tag/battle-of-the-bulge/ Honoring the men and women who served so bravely in our Armed Forces Sun, 21 Jul 2024 19:03:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 /wp-content/uploads/2019/05/logo-icon-150x150.png battle of the bulge Archives - The 自淫系列 /tag/battle-of-the-bulge/ 32 32 Lt. Col. Ed Cottrell talks about his meeting with German ME 109 Pilot /event/lt-col-ed-cottrell-talks-about-his-meeting-with-german-me-109-pilot/ /event/lt-col-ed-cottrell-talks-about-his-meeting-with-german-me-109-pilot/#respond Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:00:00 +0000 /?post_type=tribe_events&p=7446 Lt. Col. Ed Cottrell, USAF (Ret.), P-47 pilot, will talk about his recent meeting with a German Me 109 pilot. In 1944, these two pilots had the historic missions to […]

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Lt. Col. Ed Cottrell, USAF (Ret.), P-47 pilot, will talk about his recent meeting with a German Me 109 pilot. In 1944, these two pilots had the historic missions to destroy each other’s planes鈥攁nd perhaps lives–during the Battle of the Bulge. Age 102, Cottrell resides in Hendersonville.

On December 17, 1944, the second day of the Battle of the Bulge, American P-47 pilot Ed Cottrell’s engine was shot up by a German Messerschmitt. In the same battle on the same day, German pilot Karl-Heinz Bosse’s Messerschmidt 109 was shot down. Cottrell steered to his base and expertly managed a dead-stick landing . Bosse ejected and parachuted down but was seriously injured and hospitalized.

Seventy-nine years later in December 2023, at the site near Bonn, Germany where Bosse’s plane had crashed, these two pilots and former enemies had a four-hour visit all these years later, sharing their stories with the help of a translator.

Lt. Col. Ed Cottrell, USAF (Ret.) will tell the story of meeting his former enemy in December of 2023–two pilots whose historic mission was to destroy each other’s planes鈥攁nd perhaps lives. Cottrell will share how these former adversaries developed a quick friendship, ending their meeting 鈥渇orever friends.鈥

Cottrell will be available to sign a copy of the book聽We Shall Come Home Victorious, which tells his complete story. Books will be available for purchase ($20) with proceeds going聽to the 自淫系列 in Brevard.

This FREE program is made possible with funds provided by the Community Foundation of Henderson County through the Richard J. and Betty A. Scott Estate.

to register

You may also call the Etowah Library: 828-891-6577.

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WWII Veteran鈥檚 Story Depicted in N.C. State House /wwii-veterans-story-depicted-in-n-c-state-house/ /wwii-veterans-story-depicted-in-n-c-state-house/#respond Sat, 18 May 2024 13:16:57 +0000 /?p=7408 The post WWII Veteran鈥檚 Story Depicted in N.C. State House appeared first on The 自淫系列.

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I was waiting for the bullets

鈥淚 was waiting for the bullets,鈥 is WWII P-47 pilot Ed Cottrell鈥檚 description of being surrounded by German Me 109s during the Battle of the Bulge. That story is told in an oil painting commissioned by Valor Studios of Naples, Florida. A limited-edition print of the original, signed by Cottrell, is now exhibited in the North Carolina State House.

Two prints, titled 鈥淲aiting for the Bullets鈥 were gifts to N.C. Rep. Mike Clampitt and N.C. State Senator Kevin Corbin by David Morrow.

Learning that this visual representation of his service is now displayed in Raleigh, Col. Cottrell said, 鈥淲hat an honor. Tell Senator Corbin I appreciate his interest and would like sometime to meet him. Also, Representative Mike Clampitt, who supports the museum so much.鈥

 

It鈥檚 such an honor to know these WWII veterans鈥ust to be in their presence.

When Rep. Clampitt received a framed copy of the print, he said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 such an honor to know these WWII veterans鈥ust to be in their presence.鈥 Clampitt also presented to the museum two flags which have flown over the North Carolina State House, along with a certificate reading:

 

folding the usa flag
鈥淚 was waiting for the bullets,鈥 is WWII P-47 pilot Ed Cottrell鈥檚 description of being surrounded by German Me 109s during the Battle of the Bulge. That story is told in an oil painting commissioned by Valor Studios of Naples, Florida. A limited-edition print of the original, signed by Cottrell, is now exhibited in the North Carolina State House.<br />
Two prints, titled 鈥淲aiting for the Bullets鈥 were gifts to N.C. Rep. Mike Clampitt and N.C. State Senator Kevin Corbin by David Morrow.<br />
Learning that this visual representation of his service is now displayed in Raleigh, Col. Cottrell said, 鈥淲hat an honor. Tell Senator Corbin I appreciate his interest and would like sometime to meet him.  Also, Representative Mike Clampitt, who supports the museum so much.鈥<br />
When Rep. Clampitt received a framed copy of the print, he said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 such an honor to know these WWII veterans鈥ust to be in their presence.鈥 Clampitt also presented to the museum two flags which have flown over the North Carolina State House, along with a certificate reading:<br />
In recognition of your unwavering commitment to honoring and preserving the history of our nation鈥檚 military, your dedication to communicating the heroic deeds and self-sacrifice of those who have defended the freedom and liberty of the United States of America is truly commendable. Your efforts ensure that their bravery and service will never be forgotten.<br />
- Representative James Michael Clampitt, N.C. House of Representatives<br />
A third copy of the print 鈥淲aiting for the Bullets鈥 is displayed in the Veterans History 自淫系列鈥檚 Air Force Gallery, along with a diorama depicting Col. Cottrell in his P-47 on a different mission during the Battle of the Bulge. Cottrell鈥檚 full story is told in the museum鈥檚 book 鈥淲e Shall Come Home Victorious.鈥 Stories of WWII Veterans, available for sale in the museum or on Amazon.com. All proceeds support the museum鈥檚 mission: honor veterans, educate the public, and preserve history.

Rep. Clampitt presented flags to David Morrow and accepted print honoring Cottrell

commissioner larry chapman and senator kevin corbin

Commissioner Larry Chapman and Sen. Kevin Corbin

In recognition of your unwavering commitment to honoring and preserving the history of our nation鈥檚 military, your dedication to communicating the heroic deeds and self-sacrifice of those who have defended the freedom and liberty of the United States of America is truly commendable. Your efforts ensure that their bravery and service will never be forgotten.

- Representative James Michael Clampitt,

N.C. House of Representatives

A third copy of the print 鈥淲aiting for the Bullets鈥 is displayed in the Veterans History 自淫系列鈥檚 Air Force Gallery, along with a diorama depicting Col. Cottrell in his P-47 on a different mission during the Battle of the Bulge. Cottrell鈥檚 full story is told in the museum鈥檚 book 鈥淲e Shall Come Home Victorious.鈥 Stories of WWII Veterans, available for sale in the museum or on Amazon.com. All proceeds support the museum鈥檚 mission: honor veterans, educate the public, and preserve history.

Top Photo: Rep. Mike Clampitt in his office holding the book 鈥淲e Shall Come Home Victorious.鈥

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We鈥檒l Never Be Enemies Again /well-never-be-enemies-again/ /well-never-be-enemies-again/#comments Thu, 18 Apr 2024 20:09:41 +0000 /?p=7304 The post We鈥檒l Never Be Enemies Again appeared first on The 自淫系列.

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We鈥檒l Never Be Enemies Again

鈥淲e are now friends. We鈥檒l never be enemies again.鈥 These are the words of WWII fighter pilot Ed Cottrell after his recent visit to Germany to meet German fighter pilot Karl-Heinz Bosse. On Saturday, April 13, The 自淫系列 held a well-attended event at Grace Brevard Church to celebrate this meeting. The story begins with Ed鈥檚 several trips over recent years to revisit the scenes and memories of his wartime service in Europe during which he flew 65 combat missions. While visiting Bastogne he met historian Paul Oechsner, who later put the two one-time fighter pilots in touch. Both pilots had flown in the . On December 17th, 1944, the second day of that prolonged battle, both flyers had taken off on missions.

Ed鈥檚 Mission

Ed鈥檚 squadron of P-47s was attacking German Tiger tanks. Pulling out of a bombing run, Ed鈥檚 squadron encountered a large group of German Messerschmitt 109 fighters and Ed鈥檚 plane was hit by 20mm cannon fire destroying 8 cylinders of its Pratt & Whitney engine, covering the cockpit with oil, and leaving the plane barely chugging along at 120 miles per hour, scarcely enough to prevent it from stalling and falling out of the sky. Two Messerschmitts roared past, turned, and came around behind him, leaving Ed waiting for the bullets, thinking of his wife Millie, whose photo he always carried, and saying his goodbye. But the two German planes pulled alongside and proceeded to escort him back to the Allied front lines, giving him the OK hand signal as they then peeled off. Why? Ed guesses they felt it unfair to attack a defenseless foe. Ed found his way back to the airfield with the engine finally quitting on approach to the runway, requiring him to make a dead stick landing.

Karl鈥檚 Mission

Meanwhile, Karl, who was in fact flying a Messerschmitt 109, was on a mission to attack allied planes. Karl, who is 3 years younger than Ed, was just 19 and this was only his fifth mission. Like Ed鈥檚, his plane was hit by enemy fire, but unlike Ed’s, could no longer fly. Karl was unable to bail out normally and had to turn his plane sideways, literally dumping him out successfully but badly damaging his leg in the process. On the ground he was taken prisoner by Allied forces and had a long healing. Today at 99 the leg has given out and he can no longer walk.

Meeting as Friends

Once Paul had connected the two pilots they visited over a Zoom call, talking about their lives and families. Then last December, 79 years after the shared day of their fateful missions, Ed made the trip to Germany so they could meet in person. While sharing their stories of that day, they visited the field where Karl’s plane had crashed. As Karl had not been away from his nursing home in five years, it was an extra special outing. And so days of war and enmity did yield to peace and a new friendship for two wise and long-lived warriors.

Honoring Our Hero

At Saturday鈥檚 event, after Lt. Col. Ed Cottrell, USAF, (retired), who is 102 years of age, had stood arrow straight, delivering a flawless 30-minute talk without notes, he was duly honored by the state of North Carolina. First, North Carolina Representative Mike Clampitt presented a U.S. flag flown over the North Carolina capital, along with a tribute from North Carolina’s citizens.

Lisa Wiggins, Veterans Affairs Representative for U.S. Congressman Chuck Edwards, presented an additional flag and tribute. She also presented, and read, a framed copy of remarks Congressman Edwards had read into the U.S. Congressional record for April 12th, 2024. In these remarks, Congressman Edwards recounted the story of Lt. Col. Cottrell’s mission of December 17th, as well as other elements of his wartime service and remarkable life, including the choice to celebrate his 100th birthday by skydiving out of an airplane.

 

ed cottrell speaking at event

Lt. Col. Ed Cottrell, USAF

chuck edwards staffer presents honors to ed cottrell

Lisa Wiggins, Veterans Affairs Representative for U.S. Congressman Chuck Edwards with Ed Cottrell

ed cottrell being thanked

North Carolina Representative Mike Clampitt with Ed Cottrell

The Art of Valor

Following these presentations, Brevard Mayor Maureen Copelof and Veterans History 自淫系列 president David Morrow unveiled the Valor Studios print commemorating Ed Cottrell’s flight limping home escorted by two German M-109s (top photo). Valor Studios is based in Venice, Florida, and specializes in telling the story of wartime valor in original art. A signed copy of the print donated by O.P. Taylor鈥檚 was auctioned off to raise funds for the Veterans History 自淫系列. During the silent auction, the good-sized crowd was treated to a generous and exquisite buffet.

A Very Special Question

During the Q&A after Ed鈥檚 talk one question, and his answer, were particularly striking. Ed was asked about how he shared his wartime stories with his wife and children. He responded that he did not. That neither he nor his wartime compatriots were inclined to talk about the war, preferring to forget it and move on. That began changing some 15 years ago at a squadron reunion as the talk turned to how younger folks increasingly did not know this important chapter, had lost sight of the greater purpose that bound the country, bringing forth sacrifice and compassion all those many years ago. Simply put, freedom isn’t free; we must pay the price to keep it. So, like many surviving WWII veterans, Ed has dedicated himself to talking with younger generations whenever asked, because he thinks it is important. And it is. Michelle Taylor attended the museum鈥檚 event with her sons Charlie and David and commented: 鈥淲e are so lucky and honored here to have this resource for our sons. They can hear history from people like Ed Cottrell who made that history. I want my sons to know these things.鈥 And Ed, well, he will soon be off to Europe to participate in celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, and no doubt return with more stories to tell.

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A Friendly Meeting of WWII Enemies /a-friendly-meeting-of-wwii-enemies/ /a-friendly-meeting-of-wwii-enemies/#comments Wed, 13 Mar 2024 12:48:05 +0000 /?p=7165 The post A Friendly Meeting of WWII Enemies appeared first on The 自淫系列.

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Battle of the Bulge

On December 17, 1944, the second day of the , American P-47 pilot Ed Cottrell’s engine was shot up. In the same battle, German pilot Karl-Heinz Bosse’s Messerschmadt 109 was shot down. Cottrell steered to his base and expertly managed a dead-stick landing. Bosse ejected and parachuted down but was seriously injured and hospitalized.

Enemy Pilots

Seventy-nine years later (in December 2023) at the site near Bonn, Germany where Bosse’s plane had crashed, these two pilots and former enemies had a four-hour visit all these years later, sharing their stories with the help of a translator.

Former Enemies now Forever Friends

This April 13th, Lt. Col. Ed Cottrell, USAF (Ret.) will tell the story of meeting his former enemy–two pilots whose historic mission was to destroy each other’s planes鈥攁nd perhaps lives. Cottrell will tell the story of how these former adversaries developed a quick friendship, ending their meeting 鈥渇orever friends.鈥

A Tribute

After his talk, Cottrell will be honored with the presentation of a United States flag flown over the NC Capitol, by NC Representative Mike Clampitt, along with a tribute from the citizens of North Carolina.

Concluding the program, Brevard Mayor Maureen Copelof will unveil a new painting depicting Cottrell’s encounter with two Me-109 pilots on Dec. 17, 1944. The painting, titled, “I was waiting for the bullets to come,” was commissioned by Valor Studios, who will make a limited number of prints available for sale.

Attendees will be invited to talk with Cottrell and have photos taken with him and the painting. He will be available to sign a copy of the museum’s book, “We Shall Come Home Victorious”, which tells his complete story.

Light refreshments will be served. The public is invited to this free program on April 13 at 11:00 AM at Grace Brevard Church, 55 E. Jordan Street, Brevard, NC.

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Local WWII Veteran fought in the Battle of Okinawa /local-wwii-veteran-fought-in-the-battle-of-okinawa/ /local-wwii-veteran-fought-in-the-battle-of-okinawa/#comments Sat, 30 Sep 2023 14:10:46 +0000 /?p=6654 The post Local WWII Veteran fought in the Battle of Okinawa appeared first on The 自淫系列.

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The Battle of Okinawa

He served as Rifleman in the 184th Rgt., fighting in the last battle of World War II, the . Brevard resident James Milton Fletcher served in the U.S. Army Reserves from June 6, 1944 to December 1956. 聽He was serving in Okinawa when WWII ended on September 2, 1945. His division was ordered to receive the surrender of the Japanese Army in Korea.聽

Milt Fletcher told his story for the 自淫系列: 鈥淚 was born on December 31, 1926, in Americus, Sumter County, Georgia鈥攖he same county where President Jimmy Carter came from. I went to Americus High School and finished June 1, 1944. The Army had become in need of engineers for building bridges in Europe and had a shortage of doctors. The people who majored in science and math took a test and were promised they would be sent to college if they passed the test.鈥

wwii vet milt fletchern head shot

James Milton Fletcher, WWII Veteran

Joining Up at Age 17

鈥淚 took my oath at Fort McPherson, Georgia on June 6, 1944鈥擠-Day鈥攆ive days after I graduated from high school. My mother and dad had to consent because I was only 17. I reported to the University of Alabama for engineering school, then we were sent to Auburn鈥檚 Alabama Polytechnic Institute.

Training for Combat in Europe

鈥淭he Battle of the Bulge happened around Thanksgiving in Belgium. The Army decided they needed infantry soldiers more than they needed engineers. So at the end of the quarter, we were called to active duty鈥攂asic training at Fort Robinson, Arkansas. Then to Fort Meade, Mayland as replacements in the Battle of the Bulge.
鈥淏ut by the time I finished, that situation had changed. They sent us to Oregon, then to Hawaii for 10 days of jungle training. We joined a convoy because the Japanese submarine fleet was still very active all the way from Hawaii to Okinawa. Then in the Marshall Islands we practiced landing craft鈥攃limbing down the side of the ship with all our equipment and beach landings on Eniwetok Atoll. Then to the Caroline Islands right on the equator to practice more in tropical conditions.鈥

The Battle of Okinawa

鈥淲e were ordered to Okinawa. The Battle of Okinawa started on Easter Sunday (April 1), 1945. They fought viciously there for two months. The politicians declared the island secure, but they were still fighting when I got there in June. When I joined my Infantry outfit, Charlie Company, 184th Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, they had 110% casualty. I asked, 鈥楬ow did you manage 110% casualties?鈥 The answer was, 鈥楾he replacements get shot pretty fast.鈥 The life expectancy, I heard, was 90 minutes when we got there.

鈥淭he tallest building I saw in Okinawa was about three feet tall except for one church steeple in Naha (Okinawa鈥檚 capital). They had just bombed that island to death. It was one of the bloodiest battles in the history of American warfare.

鈥淭hree Marine divisions were on the north end of the island. Four Army divisions were on the south end. We thought we were going to leave Okinawa to invade Japan on Labor Day, but they were planning it for October 1. On August 6, we heard on the radio that they had dropped this unusual bomb on Japan, and they were pursuing peace. We thought it was just a ruse to get us to walk into one of their surprise attacks. A week later, they dropped the second bomb and then we realized it was for real.鈥

The Japanese Surrender

鈥淓verybody was frightened because the Japanese had said that every man, woman, and child would die for their Emperor rather than surrender. So it was no easy task to fight the Japanese, and it was much more brutal, I think, than the European campaigns.

鈥淲e were very happy at the dropping of the second bomb, and there was so much celebrating, we lost 600 men on the island鈥攌illed due to stray munitions. We shot ammunition and dumps and everything else to celebrate鈥攕hooting up in the air and blew bombs in caves where the Japanese Army would hide. I never got a scratch鈥攋ust injured my knee by stepping into a post hole.鈥

The Largest and Deadliest Amphibious Assault in the Pacific War

According to the National WWII 自淫系列, the official American casualty count between April 1 and June 22 is 12,520 killed out of 49,151 total casualties.
Milt Fletcher: 鈥淭he fighting continued after the official end of the war. Okinawa is known as the last major campaign of World War II. In my opinion, it was the bloodiest battle in American history.
鈥淎ugust 21 was the happiest day of my life. We had orders to go to Seoul, Korea to receive the Japanese Army surrender for Korea. It was at the same time they surrendered to MacArthur in Tokyo Bay.鈥

 

Securing Korea After the Japanese Surrender

鈥淲e got to Inchon Harbor on the last day of August and unloaded on September 1, 1945. Inchon is about 30 miles from Seoul on the coast. My company was assigned to secure the telephone systems in Seoul and occupy the treasury building, which was called the Bank of Chosin at the time. We also guarded the capitol building.

picture of japanese surrender after the battle of okinawa

Japanese surrender in Korea (photo U.S. Navy)

鈥淧eople were stealing provisions that the Japanese Army had there, so we had to guard them. We also guarded an opium factory. We just had to secure the city. The Japanese had been the managers. The Koreans had been almost slaves under the Japanese. We were processing them to go back to Japan. So we Americans became the managers until we could train the Koreans to be managers. I was made Staff Sergeant at age 18 and was discharged from active duty in December 1946, before I turned 20 years old.鈥

Back Home and Back to School

鈥淚 re-started college at Georgia Southwestern and later earned my M.A. at the University of Georgia in entomology and teaching. I became a teaching principal before I was 25 years old.鈥

Service During the Korean War

鈥淚 spent the Korean War running the reception center for draftees in Columbia, South Carolina, making assignments and orders for infantry, quartermaster, communications, medical, etc. We processed the cream of the crop鈥攁ll the graduates of high schools and colleges between 1944 and 1950. The R.O.T.C. boys were the green lieutenants that were the replacements in Korea, and we lost 54,260 GIs. I was in the Reserves for 12 years. I received the Infantry Rifleman鈥檚 badge.鈥

Career and Family

鈥淚 worked in sales and teacher training for Scott Foresman & Company. It was the largest textbook publisher in America鈥攕tarting with Dick and Jane and going all the way through college. I retired after 30 years. I loved my job.鈥
“In 1951 I married Libby, a girl I had known since childhood. We have two children, Jim and Betsy. Sadly, Libby passed away in 2020.鈥

鈥淚 love my country.鈥

鈥淚鈥檓 here for my country. I love my country. It鈥檚 been good to me, gave me an undergraduate degree, helped me get a graduate degree, helped me buy a home. I have new hearing aids from the VA and I鈥檓 a happy person.
鈥淚 still have students who, after 80 years, still write to me. And I have salesmen I hired 50 years ago who come to see me and bring me vegetables out of their gardens. I鈥檝e lived in Brevard, N.C. for 10 years. I鈥檓 a firm believer in education. I鈥檓 taking an art class now and I鈥檝e studied Chaucer, Middle English, and the Great Books. I attend yoga鈥nd always siesta at 2:00 pm. I鈥檝e had a good life, a full life.鈥

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High School Aviation Students Learn History from WWII Fighter Pilot /high-school-aviation-students-learn-history-from-wwii-fighter-pilot/ /high-school-aviation-students-learn-history-from-wwii-fighter-pilot/#respond Fri, 12 May 2023 13:13:03 +0000 /?p=6306 The post High School Aviation Students Learn History from WWII Fighter Pilot appeared first on The 自淫系列.

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WWII P-47 Pilot Ed Cottrell describes his harrowing experiences during the Battle of the Bulge.

Fifteen aviation students from Arden鈥檚 Christ School and their instructors listened intently as WWII P-47 Pilot Ed Cottrell described his harrowing experiences during the Battle of the Bulge. He told a spellbinding story of having a shot-up engine with two German Me-109s on his tail. Some of the students are in Christ School鈥檚 Robert Morgan 鈥36 Aviation Program and the others are members of the Veterans Service Club.

Standing among the nineteen airplanes hanging from the ceiling or parked on the shiny floor of Hendersonville鈥檚 Western North Carolina Air 自淫系列, Cottrell, age 101, spoke to the 14- to 18-year-old high school boys. He told the story of encountering two German pilots up-close, as they flew right beside his damaged plane, gave him OK symbols with their fingers, and peeled off. 鈥淭hey let me live,鈥 Ed said. 鈥淚鈥檒l never know why.鈥

Ed Cottrell talking to Christ School聽 students

Cottrell praised the P-47 for its toughness.

Appearing on behalf of the 自淫系列, Cottrell spoke to the young flyers about how he chose to become a pilot in 1943. He selected the Army鈥檚 offer rather than the Navy鈥檚 because the Army gave him time to finish college before reporting for duty. Cottrell praised the P-47 for its toughness. His crew chief showed him 30-40 bullet holes from small arms fire after one of his 65 missions. He flew from a small makeshift runway in St. Tron, Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge.

Cottrell said that when his 18-cylinder engine was shot and the German Me-109s showed up, he barely made it back to his landing strip. The Pratt & Whitney engine got him home with only 10 cylinders working, only stopping when he was on final approach to land. He made a dead-stick landing. He told his audience, 鈥淚 kissed the ground. I wouldn鈥檛 be here today if I hadn鈥檛 had that Pratt & Whitney engine.鈥

Western North Carolina Air 自淫系列

The airplanes in the Western North Carolina Air 自淫系列 provided the perfect setting for this special event, surrounding the attendees and speaker with original planes or replicas in use from 1917 to 1948. Please visit for more information.

Many of the high-school aviation students were ready with questions when Cottrell concluded his stories. Some examples: 鈥淲hy did you like the P-47 so much?鈥 鈥淗ow did you decide to become a pilot?鈥 鈥淲as your encounter with the German pilots the closest you came to death?

ed cottrell

Ed Cottrell with the Ballantyne Family

Christ School鈥檚 new aviation program was announced in 2022 as follows:

鈥淭he Robert Morgan 鈥36 Aviation Program will be offered during the Winter Sports season for up to 10 boys. The program is named after Christ School alumnus Robert Morgan, who graduated in 1936. Morgan famously flew the Memphis Belle in World War II. The school has procured a plane 鈥 an American Champion Citabria (7GCAA) 鈥 and has the luxury of two former Navy fighter pilots, Steven Hoffert and Les Thornbury, as instructors. Both men shared their vision for the Morgan Aviation Program: they want every student to take real, concrete steps toward FAA flight ratings, including a FAA Student Pilot Certificate, Full FAA Private Pilot Ground School, Official FAA Private Pilot Written Exam, and the opportunity for a FAA Class 3 Medical Certificate needed to fly solo. The program is now completing its first year.鈥

Nestled on 500 acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Asheville, North Carolina, Christ School is an Episcopal boarding school founded in 1900 with a full college preparatory curriculum for the more than 290 boys enrolled. Information about Christ School鈥檚 distinct programs in Athletics, World Languages, Travel opportunities, Outdoor Program, Service Learning, Choir, Broadcast Journalism and more visit: https://www.christschool.org/

After Lt. Col. Cottrell鈥檚 program on April 26, the students presented their new hero with a jacket from the Aviation Program. They lined up to meet him and ask for his signature in the book which tells his complete story. In addition to the students, Christ School chemistry instructor James Ballantyne brought his family to meet the WWII hero. The parents introduced their children, one of whom was dressed as a WWII pilot.

Two of the children presented drawings they had made to honor Cottrell. Their pictures included drawings of airplanes and messages. One read: 鈥淭he Greatest Generation. Thank you for your service 2nd Lieutenant Edwin Cottrell! 48th Fighter Group 493rd Fighter Squadron.鈥 The other drawing had 鈥淲WII鈥 and 鈥淭hank you for your service鈥 framing the child鈥檚 drawing of the airplane. These young home-schooled fans had obviously done their research to learn about Cottrell鈥檚 career before they met him.

Their mom, Jill Ballantyne, said, “They were all very excited to be able to hear a firsthand account of the war, and for the opportunity to honor this living legend in person.”

Ed Cottrell鈥檚 first-person telling of his part in liberating Europe from Nazi rule provides a view of history unlike anything found in a book. In addition to speaking to many groups about his stories, he serves as an Honorary Board Member of the 自淫系列, located at 21 East Main Street in Brevard. Open hours are Tuesday鈥擲aturday from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Admission is free.

For more information or to schedule a group tour, please call 828-884-2141 or visit theveteransmuseum.org. To inquire about scheduling Ed Cottrell as a speaker, email mikemccarthy@comporium.net.

Top photo: Ed Cottrell (middle) with Christ School Students

 

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