Several of the later-arriving fighter groups were led on their first few missions by Col. Don. He took the opportunity to fly "his" 354th FG Mustang back to Debden on several occasions to show his boys what they were gonna get if he had his way ...
Short story ... a few years ago a former 4th FG pilot bought a print from me. He mentioned that the 4th FG Association was going to have a reunion in Savannah later that year, and he EXPECTED me to attend. Yes Sir! It was a short 6-hour drive for me, so I had no excuse. I was told that Col. Blakeslee was due to make an appearance. Wow! Man, I was excited!
Blakeslee had only begun attenting reunions in 1979 or so after being invited for years ... the 4th FG alums said that when he walked into that first reunion they all thought they were seeing a ghost ...
Late into the first evening in Savannah, I was standing in front of my "One-Man Air Force" painting featuring Don Gentile when I saw Col. Don walk in. Holy smokes! He went to the bar (always a fighter pilot!) and I resumed talking to another fellow explaining my painting. After a good discussion with the guy, I turned around and Col. Don was standing right behind me. He had been listening to our conversation. All I could muster was, "How ya doin', Colonel?!" as I shook his hand.
He smiled, and we started talking about Gentile (he liked him, but Gentile broke the standing rule against breaking an airplane while showing off, and as a result one of them was going to have to go, and Col. Don said, "It wasn't going to be me.")
I had the pleasure of "explaining" my painting to him. Truly the highlight of my art career. Impressions? Soft spoken, but even into his late 80s you could see the fire in his eyes ...
Here's an "after-action' report I posted shortly after the Savannah meeting ... really need to update the shots as they were posted before I had a scanner:
http://wademeyersart.tripod.com/id21.html
Wade
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