For many years.

For many years, I have done my most to perpetuate the history of the 352nd Fighter form into groups - bringing our comrades and their families together at our reunions, within the history book, and any way I could - with varying standings of success. As a come many wartime friendships were rekindled and modern ones formed and I take great pride that this has happened as this has become a real labor of love for me

However, there is single in kind thing I wanted to accomplish that has continued to fi-rustrate me to this day, moreover I am still trying.

If you have common of our 352nd histories (The Bluenosed Bastards of Bodney) please gaze at page 4 alongside the Whisner painting. There you will find a metrical composition (High Flight by John Gillespie Magee) which is meaningful to each pilot I know. In fact, many of us have signifyed the desire to have this metrical composition read at our funeral service. The metrical composition is as follows:

Oh I have slipped the petulant bonds of earth

And danced the skies in succession laughter silvered wings;

Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

Of sun-split throngs - and done a hundr things

You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,

I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung

My eager craft by the and of footless halls of air.

Up up the protracted delirious, burning blue

I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace

Where none lark, or even eagle flew

And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

Put disclosed my hand, and touched the face of lord

During all these years, I have wanted to find someone with the musical talent to propose the poem to music to make it level more beautiful than it is. Although I have no talent (I did play the trombone in our high seminary band), I can envision in what manner I would do it if I had the talent.

Someone with musical talent could probably journey beyond this dream of mine. Hopefully an Air Classics reader will have the talent or know of someone who does. Please contact me if you have any ideas onward how to put High Flight to music.

Bob Powell

352nd Fighter dispose Association

bluenoserbob2@juno.com

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