Page 19 - DFCS NEWS MAGAZINE 2018-2
P. 19

“Faces of the Distinguished Flying Cross...”
New Book About DFCS Villages Chapter Members
By DFCS Villages Chapter President David Lehtonen
This article appeared in the Style Magazine, showcasing the Villages Chapter of the DFC Society of Central Florida at our presentation at the Leesburg Library on September 24, 2018 at which there were approximately 40 people in attendance to hear our talk.
We have given these presentations to eight organizations/venues since March with two more in November
2018. This is an outreach program of our chapter to inform people about the DFC and the stories of 24 of our members on how they earned the award.
War Heroes Share Their Stories
Style Magazine, September 25, 2018 by Paula F. Howard
All seven men who appeared recently at Leesburg Library have received the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for exceptional courage and skill flying combat missions during the Second World War.
“Other well-known recipients include Charles A. Lindberg, Amelia Earhart, George H.W. Bush, John Glenn, Chuck Yeager and others,” says David Lehtonen, president of The Villages Chapter of the DFC Society of Central Florida and presenter at the recent presentation.
These men have written a book about their collective war stories. “Faces of the Distinguished Flying Cross of Central Florida: In Their Own Words” that details 24 individual stories of bravery and valor lived and told by each man in his own words.
Lt. Col. Joseph R. Finch, U.S. Army, retired, is author of the project, and one of the heroes. He added ‘et al’ on the cover because each man contributed his own story. Joseph served during the Vietnam War.
In his story, he tells how the Vietnamese put a price on a pilot’s head of $10,000 “...which was a lot of money to those guys and they didn’t even need the whole body—just the head!”
There are many harrowing stories of this nature in the book.
“War isn’t fun,” says Eugene (Barney) Barnhart, “One time, I lost my nose wheel and had to land my jet at 160 miles per hour. The airstrip wasn’t foamed.”
In the book he writes, “We were trailed by fire caused by the sparks and residual fuel...When we finally came to rest adjacent to the 5,000-foot marker, we went through our emergency shutdown procedures and evacuated the aircraft in record time. When I hit the ground, my legs were going full speed. I came to a sudden halt about 15 feet from the aircraft when my nylon lanyard \[which was\] attached to the ejection seat stopped me in mid-stride.”
His plane was eventually salvaged and flown again.
Wayne Lotsberg, a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, also served in Vietnam. In November 1972, he was shot down during a night reconnaissance mission and the darkness was his savior. He was rescued because it was at night and the enemy could not see him.
“You can’t allow yourself to dwell on your emotions,” Wayne says, “You shut down and make yourself not feel.”
He did say, however, that he felt a bump on his leg while he floated on his small raft before rescue. Later, it was found he was in Vietnamese waters with poisonous sea snakes.
“What have I learned in life?” Kenneth Taylor was a lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Corps, and clarified the question, “Be patient and enjoy what you have. Have a positive attitude, and don’t give up.”
At 95 years old, he is the only surviving member of the group who served in World War II.
On Dec. 2, 2015, he met another survivor of the war who was just six years old at the time his family’s house was bombed in Japan. Judging from data, the men believe it was Lt. Taylor who had bombed that town. Now, having a historic meeting, it points at time being the healer of old wounds. The book shows a photo of the men eating at a local restaurant in The Villages.
20 / DFCS News Magazine / WINTER 2018











































































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