Dick Cole flown west

Man, could you imagine being a young kid and being Jimmy Doolittle's copilot on such a historic flight. Something that provided lifetime fame.
 
18 APRIL 1942

Almost made it 77 years to the day!!

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May he Rest In Peace,another of the greatest generation gone. There was a B25 from sun n fun at SRQ ( Sarasota) today.
 
Now he can truly experience Richard Gillespie's _High_Flight_. Godspeed, and CAVU. A true American hero!
 
RIP Sir, Thank you. Godspeed.
 
From the article - "Growing up in Dayton, Ohio, Cole had idolized Doolittle and once rode a bicycle 25 miles to see him fly. Now he was co-piloting a bomber with him.

Now THAT is some story. May he rest in peace.
 
Met him at an air show a couple years ago. It was strange, the ramp was full of people, all of us looking at aircraft and I came stumbling on a nice C-46 and start taking pics. I look over at a table under the wing and there’s Dick with his fam selling some autographed B-25 prints. I must be seeing things. Dick Cole and not a single person in line. I’m thinking, do these people know who this is??? At any rate, we chit chatted a little bit and one of his family asked if I wanted a pic with him. I’ll never forget it, I kneeled down beside him and out of the corner of my eye I see him slowly reaching out to shake my hand. Just an awesome guy.

RIP LTC Cole.

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