I'll tell you something, just you me and the internet, Jungle.

This one strikes a chord. Walter Mitty. I mean, I'd heard of the dude, but now he seems quite familiar.

In a rather reversed way. He was always about making up situations, right? Where he was the hero? Ones that noone would lend much credence to? That was the crux of the story- the breaking point, the fact that he'd imagined himself in all these fantastic, heroic situations, but in reality was what 3,900 miles away due to his 4-F status?

Well, I have a couple of theories, things to say about that.

First- these stories were written around, after World War II? Or is it World War 2?.
Never looks quite right on my screen when I type it. WWII. That's probably better. WWII. Yup.

Bad-ass. Horrible. Death, destruction, on a global scale. Farkin' meat machine. What's not to like looking back now? For a good cause. Many great men served. And died. In forgotten situations. Forgotten situations. Walter Mitty suck it. Think about being a Army or Marine infantry team or squad leader then. *******. When I think about what I've learned of those campaigns it breaks my heart. Forgotten, unknown, lost bravery and sacrifice. On a huge scale.

It would have been easy to be a Mitty type character back then I guess. Lost comrades, campaigns, units, actions, ships, aircraft basically never heard of, forgotten on a horrendous scale. Why not? Why not claim action if you had been 4-F?
Why not be a Walter Mitty?- who would contest such a thing? The scale of the war was so over reaching, over powering, and horrible to those that had really "been" there that I doubt many gave much thought to those seeking glory for untrue actions.

Much healing had to be done.

Where am I going with this you ask?
Hell I don't know.

I think there are interesting parallels with the "Walter Mitty" situation and us, pilots. Yes you, pilot.

We do things that are still kind of superhuman. We do these things day and night, for different causes, or companies, or flags.

We do these things for some reason- internal, external, but we do them, and we try to explain them to others. But most often fail at that. There I was, on the gauges at less than 1 and 100 with a load of fake vomit from Hong Kong. There I was about to pickle some haji rat barstard that took out the west side of COP wherever. There I was on the wrong side of Chichagof running on fumes. Etc. What does it mean to everyday numb-nuts Oprah type fellow countrymen? Nothing. They are sheep. I guess. Morons.

What does it mean- to be a a hero- in everyday life- to challenge the elements, to go far, to do your best, during and in spite of everything the cockpit, flight deck, or left seat and personal life holds on the ground?

We deserve more than we ask for from these ground bound bums surrounding us is what I think. We deserve at least some poetry, some good stories, and a better paycheck. Or at least hotter girlfriends.

Sorry for this rambling. Be safe out there fellow loose nuts behind the yoke.