My Son sent me a reminder that this time in 1939 first sea lord Winston Churchill was called to be prime minister. A message was sent to the Royal Navy that "Winston is back" I want to write about him, but I want to put it in a broad perspective, not just WW II though he is perhaps as important as anyone in the early war. ill quote him later.
What if you could chose to be anyone in history? Often on EAA we celebrate military heroes and pilots because that is so much of history and development. But which hero pilot or what if a broader view? The most successful pilot by double is Hartmann with 654 victories, 15 times that of any American, but youd have to fly for Hitler. No Allied pilot is near him. What if we expand to civilian people as personally,given a choice Id rather save people. Would the Wright Bros be a choice? Maybe , but Wilbur died young and other than the airplane they may been somewhat isolated. What if we go beyond aviation to the broad world and think of top few perhaps 3 of all time? Obviously Jesus fits, but we are not supposed to get into religious , and he is a long time ago and I dont think I could be that brave.
I have my own favorite 3 and Id put Sir Winston a solid no3. I like 2 others, Dr. King who confronted hate and violence without becoming that way himself, literally being the bigger and better person, knowing all along he would not survive, thats as brave as any pilot or soldier. My number one guy,just personally is Dr. Salk the main discoverer of polio vacine. I remember days when it killed and maimed so many children and I have friends who were hit. How great that the brilliance of your mind and your lifes work can do so much good. The vaccine is virtually totally effective, just stops polio not like flu shots which work half the time.
So I like Sir Winston behind these two. He was a soldier in combat in WWI, not just desk guy, A great orator, with great humor. Most of all he saved Britain at the start of the war. He never had any illusions about Hitler, he saw him for the evil he would become. Churchill was a naval man, but his foresight of how important the air war would become and his support for the Royal Air Force was critical and a turn from past oversight and unpreparedness. His appointment of Lord Beaverbrook in charge of aircraft production was genius and made Spitfires a front line weapon eventually 23.000 of them. He wasn't perfect but his other asset was being to work with allies esp the big 3 , Pres Roosevelt and even Stalin. as a needed buffer to Stalin. A great man at a time when he was so needed. might be a little like Geo Washington in Valley Forge days.
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Originally Posted by lnuss
