Today is August 15, 2011.
In case you're not the history geek that I am, this date marks 66 years since the surrender of the Japanese forces. Can you believe it?! And WW2 continues to hold a fascination over people worldwide. And get this - every day, the more and more of those people will never have known anyone who experienced those critical months between September 1, 1939 and August 15, 1945.
But there's also additional significance to this date - albeit small significance. See that photo on top? It's possible that the photo was taken pretty close to that August 15 date.
They're four P-51 Mustangs of the 75th Fighter Squadron, 23rd Fighter Group and if you want to read between the wings, there are at least five pilots there that know their work is basically done.
I'd like to introduce you to Don Erickson, fighter pilot. For the next few weeks, while I finish up some loose ends hanging over Ken Dahlberg's P-47, I'll be attempting to bring Don's P-51 Mustang back from those last days of WW2, China.
And maybe along the way, we'll figure out what the hell is in that bottle he's holding.
