By Bill Zeeble, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-934371.mp3
Dallas, TX – Today is Veterans Day. The annual Dallas parade will start at Union Station and end at Dallas City Hall. KERA's Bill Zeeble talked to one of the high-flying Grand Marshals.
When the parade passes the reviewing stand, World War II pilot Leonard Randy Reeves will be among the honored guests.
Reeves: I'm a retired Lt. Colonel from the Air Force. I flew p40s and p51s.
Reeves flew 87 missions in War Hawks and Mustang fighters, many of which were built here in Dallas. As a pilot in the 311 Fighter Group, Reeves flew in the China-Burma-India theater, often escorting bombers. They wanted the fighters above them, but the Mustangs stayed to the side, because they couldn't reach a high enough altitude.
Reeves: First mission I went on, I was real happy to fly off the side, because that "ack ack" the Japanese were shooting up at the bombers looked like it was thick enough to walk on. Mainly the "ack ack" was at the bombers and not at us. So that was sort of a blessing in disguise there.
Reeves' service began in 1942 and his combat missions ended 3 years later, with the war's end. He downed 6 confirmed planes, and 4 probables. He was never shot down.
There were 20 of us fighter planes, I was number 20. The Japanese got on my tail, flying a Zero. He didn't shoot me down, but shot me up pretty well. And ended up getting a purple heart.
Reeves says the best advice he received from veteran pilots helped him avoid death from the agile Japanese planes.
Reeves: Best bet, if you get above them, to dive down on top of them. And if zeroes- they could out-maneuver us - so they said if one ever got on your tail, you would do what you call a "split s". just roll over on your back and dive down and the Japanese, because they had big ailerons, so they were maneuverable - they couldn't dive over about 350mph. So we could get away from them by diving down.
Retired Lt. Col. Randy Reeves cherishes this day, as he remembers lost and living veterans & friends. His relatives from around the country will also join him here today, where he is one of four Grand Marshals in the Dallas Veterans Parade.