He and this work, are still revered here in UK. I have read this to my 16 and 17yr olds in college as part of remembrance day and it's always well received.
Well done, I loved the story of John Gillespie Magee, Jr. From my early days at the US Air Force Academy, we memorized it, and it was always on my mind motivating me, as a cadet; then later as an officer, navigator--and Inspirational in my Spirit as a Christian husband, father, and grandfather. If we stop and take in God's creation; we realize that we don't need to fly to Touch the face of God; we can do it with his terrestrial creation and with our families and fellow man.
Chet, thank you for your wonderful and very thoughtful message. The sacrifice of John Gillespie Magee, Jr., is tragic, yet he left us with a legacy in poetry that will forever inspire us. Additionally, his sacrifice, in volunteering to fight in the war before America was fully involved, represents the wider sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of soldiers who followed in his footsteps. Even if never injured, all of those men and women in uniformed gave years of their lives to build a better world. They achieved that and today that sacrifice is further honored by the service of hundreds of thousands in this current generation who stand guard to preserve the future of democracy, freedom, and liberty -- people like you. Thank you for your service, good sir!
Rest assured his grave is well looked after in the village of Scopwick in Lincolnshire England! I lived in this village as a young man with my parents in the 1970s
David, thank you for that -- I wondered if he was still remembered there. So glad to hear that and, as an American, I can tell you that those kinds of efforts are more appreciated than most realize.
I am so deeply touched by the care shown American graves in Europe. Thank you and all your countrmen for this incalculable honor. Now, if I could only get my sorry-a**ed countrmen to do the same!
Thank you. I first read this poem about 50 years ago but knew nothing of the history beyond that he was an American fighter pilot. You have filled in so much.
Indeed it is. Something that many people don't know is that the graves of thousands of Americans buried overseas are regularly tended to by those in the area, often with families adopting the graves and tending to them as if they were family. It is an extraordinary testimony not only to the sacrifice made by the pilots, sailors, and soldiers but above all to the extraordinary character of those who tend to the graves today. They choose to remember and honor the past, not out of some government requirement, but because they want to.
A young male where I work, aged 25, is leaving to join the RAF. On his leaving card, that's when I remembered the famous poem, High Flight. I had to reference John McGee's famous sonnet. "You've slipped the surly bonds ..."
It is one of the most beautiful poems ever written, not just for aviators. My hat is off to the young man who is joining the RAF -- there is no higher calling.
Thank you! I hope that I was able to fill in the key details that most others miss, such as the type of aircraft involved in the collision, how his poem became famous, and so forth. Truly, his poem is a work of art.
Factual error: RAF Tangmere is near Chichester, West Sussex. This is about 178 miles south of RAF Digby, Lincolnshire. And Bloxholm is also near RAF Digby, near Lincoln. Wikipedia says McGee died in an accident near Ruskington, again near Lincoln.
As an aside, John Magee's father, John Magee, who was a missionary, is a hero in China for documenting the rape of Nanjing before the beginning of WWII. Without Jon MaGee's work in photographing the carnage and torture of the Chines at the hands of the Japanese soldiers, the world may have never known he vicious and brutal the Japanese were. When the Chinese have a remembrance ceremony, they invite John Magee's decedents to attend. John Jr went to school in China for some of the time that his father was a missionary there, but John Sr could see that the Japanese expansion threatened China and sent Jr. to live with his mother in England. This is a history that few Americans know, but the Magee name is revered in China. I am fortunate enough to know of this because some of the MaGee descendants are close friends. I had known of the Rape of Nanjing, but I did not realize that the author of High Flight was the son of the Missionary, John Magee, that showed us the utter brutality of the Japanese occupiers. The story of the missionary father and the patriotic son is one that should be told.
@@HistoricWings John Magee (sr) had taken movies and pictures of the carnage and helped save who they could by bringing them into the "Protected zone" which was apparently set up under pressure from the Germans. This area was ordered off limits to the Japanese soldiers, but when Magee went outside of this area, he put himself in great danger. Magee gave his pictures and videos to the Chinese. For years, they asked the Japanese for formal apologies, but the Japanese denied that the rape of Nanjing happened with the brutality that the Chinese claimed. Every few years, the Chinese would ask again, knowing what happed due to the evidence collected by Magee, and each time, the Chinese pushed harder, and each time, the Japanese pushed back with equal force against the allegations. Finely, the Chines showed the evidence at one of their conferences with a Japanese delegation for all of the world to see. Every year, there is a big ceremony in Nanjing to honor the victims, and every year, the invite a descendent of John Magee as a VIP, to honor his contribution. A good friend of mine, being a descendent, was invited about 7 years ago, and he said that they treated him like royalty. News reporters interviewed him, he was on TV, and he said school children would ask for his autograph. He was humbled by the experience. Anyway, it was my friend that told me that High Flight was written by his relative, Magee jr. This is the stary of a Precher that was a brave as a soldier and a soldier that was close to god.
@@francishuddy9462 It was a horrible act by the US, as was the firebombing of Dresden Germany and Tokyo. The goal of each of these acts was to force an end to wars that had already killed millions. Estimates of US casualties if the invasion was attempted were hundreds of thousands with perhaps a million to three million civilian casualties. This is a choice between the lessor of two evils. I find it hard to compare the atrocities of the fire bombing and atomic bombing required to achieve a strategic military victory to the atrocities of innocent men being beheaded, women being gang raped and killed along with their children, acts that did nothing to try to end a war, to acts that were likely critical to bringing and end to wars, but you may see it differently, and at the end of the day, we all have to decide were and when to use the acts we find necessary, but as a Marine Veteran, I could never justify the killing or injury of an innocent civilian and modern rules of engagement are very clear about what is a crime and what is not a crime. War is inherently evil though, and in its prosecution, terrible things must be done, but not all terrible things done in war are necessary. We each decide what what was and wasn't.
@@HistoricWings Here's a link to my video. It might get blocked by TH-cam because they might think it's spam. I'll try it anyways. Thanks for the OK! th-cam.com/video/ufvWJOZ9w1U/w-d-xo.html
Thank you so much. Even though Magee died so young, his legacy lives on through his simple yet beautiful poem. ❤
Yes, it is one of the finest aviation poems in history.
Yes.
He and this work, are still revered here in UK. I have read this to my 16 and 17yr olds in college as part of remembrance day and it's always well received.
What a wonderful idea and tradition to do! Great practice!!
Well done, I loved the story of John Gillespie Magee, Jr. From my early days at the US Air Force Academy, we memorized it, and it was always on my mind motivating me, as a cadet; then later as an officer, navigator--and Inspirational in my Spirit as a Christian husband, father, and grandfather. If we stop and take in God's creation; we realize that we don't need to fly to Touch the face of God; we can do it with his terrestrial creation and with our families and fellow man.
Chet, thank you for your wonderful and very thoughtful message. The sacrifice of John Gillespie Magee, Jr., is tragic, yet he left us with a legacy in poetry that will forever inspire us. Additionally, his sacrifice, in volunteering to fight in the war before America was fully involved, represents the wider sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of soldiers who followed in his footsteps. Even if never injured, all of those men and women in uniformed gave years of their lives to build a better world. They achieved that and today that sacrifice is further honored by the service of hundreds of thousands in this current generation who stand guard to preserve the future of democracy, freedom, and liberty -- people like you.
Thank you for your service, good sir!
Rest assured his grave is well looked after in the village of Scopwick in Lincolnshire England! I lived in this village as a young man with my parents in the 1970s
David, thank you for that -- I wondered if he was still remembered there. So glad to hear that and, as an American, I can tell you that those kinds of efforts are more appreciated than most realize.
I am so deeply touched by the care shown American graves in Europe. Thank you and all your countrmen for this incalculable honor. Now, if I could only get my sorry-a**ed countrmen to do the same!
Thank you. I first read this poem about 50 years ago but knew nothing of the history beyond that he was an American fighter pilot. You have filled in so much.
Thank you, good sir! History is worth remembering!
He was not American, but Canadian ...
I am pleased to know that McGee’s grave has not been forgotten and looked after. May he rest in GOD’S arms forever
Indeed it is. Something that many people don't know is that the graves of thousands of Americans buried overseas are regularly tended to by those in the area, often with families adopting the graves and tending to them as if they were family. It is an extraordinary testimony not only to the sacrifice made by the pilots, sailors, and soldiers but above all to the extraordinary character of those who tend to the graves today. They choose to remember and honor the past, not out of some government requirement, but because they want to.
Thank you
You're welcome!
Thank you for sharing.
A big thank you.
You're welcome! Thank you for stopping by!
Brilliant video , well done.
Thank you for the compliment! Glad you liked it!!
Thomas, you packed a lot into this video. Great job.
I appreciate that! Thank you, good sir!
Thank you so much for this touching tribute to a great and brave man❤
Glad you enjoyed it!
A young male where I work, aged 25, is leaving to join the RAF. On his leaving card, that's when I remembered the famous poem, High Flight. I had to reference John McGee's famous sonnet. "You've slipped the surly bonds ..."
It is one of the most beautiful poems ever written, not just for aviators. My hat is off to the young man who is joining the RAF -- there is no higher calling.
Thank you for posting that..Brought up many memories..
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for this piece, it fills in so much information.
Thank you! I hope that I was able to fill in the key details that most others miss, such as the type of aircraft involved in the collision, how his poem became famous, and so forth. Truly, his poem is a work of art.
Nor even eagle flew, rather than nor ever eagle flew is the way I have always heard it.
I've heard it both ways, though I believe that the version in this video is from the original document, which is included in the video itself.
Factual error: RAF Tangmere is near Chichester, West Sussex. This is about 178 miles south of RAF Digby, Lincolnshire. And Bloxholm is also near RAF Digby, near Lincoln. Wikipedia says McGee died in an accident near Ruskington, again near Lincoln.
Thank you for pointing this out!
Tom great job! Well done.
Thank you! Cheers!
Really nicely done
Thank you kindly, good sir!
As an aside, John Magee's father, John Magee, who was a missionary, is a hero in China for documenting the rape of Nanjing before the beginning of WWII. Without Jon MaGee's work in photographing the carnage and torture of the Chines at the hands of the Japanese soldiers, the world may have never known he vicious and brutal the Japanese were. When the Chinese have a remembrance ceremony, they invite John Magee's decedents to attend. John Jr went to school in China for some of the time that his father was a missionary there, but John Sr could see that the Japanese expansion threatened China and sent Jr. to live with his mother in England. This is a history that few Americans know, but the Magee name is revered in China. I am fortunate enough to know of this because some of the MaGee descendants are close friends. I had known of the Rape of Nanjing, but I did not realize that the author of High Flight was the son of the Missionary, John Magee, that showed us the utter brutality of the Japanese occupiers. The story of the missionary father and the patriotic son is one that should be told.
This is an extraordinary post; thank you for making it. I have never heard this and, yes, John Magee's father was a missionary in China.
@@HistoricWings John Magee (sr) had taken movies and pictures of the carnage and helped save who they could by bringing them into the "Protected zone" which was apparently set up under pressure from the Germans. This area was ordered off limits to the Japanese soldiers, but when Magee went outside of this area, he put himself in great danger. Magee gave his pictures and videos to the Chinese. For years, they asked the Japanese for formal apologies, but the Japanese denied that the rape of Nanjing happened with the brutality that the Chinese claimed. Every few years, the Chinese would ask again, knowing what happed due to the evidence collected by Magee, and each time, the Chinese pushed harder, and each time, the Japanese pushed back with equal force against the allegations. Finely, the Chines showed the evidence at one of their conferences with a Japanese delegation for all of the world to see. Every year, there is a big ceremony in Nanjing to honor the victims, and every year, the invite a descendent of John Magee as a VIP, to honor his contribution. A good friend of mine, being a descendent, was invited about 7 years ago, and he said that they treated him like royalty. News reporters interviewed him, he was on TV, and he said school children would ask for his autograph. He was humbled by the experience. Anyway, it was my friend that told me that High Flight was written by his relative, Magee jr. This is the stary of a Precher that was a brave as a soldier and a soldier that was close to god.
What about what the American regime did at Hiroshima (& Nagasaki) ... in each attack, vaporised 100,000 civilians in 30 seconds ...
@@francishuddy9462 It was a horrible act by the US, as was the firebombing of Dresden Germany and Tokyo. The goal of each of these acts was to force an end to wars that had already killed millions. Estimates of US casualties if the invasion was attempted were hundreds of thousands with perhaps a million to three million civilian casualties. This is a choice between the lessor of two evils. I find it hard to compare the atrocities of the fire bombing and atomic bombing required to achieve a strategic military victory to the atrocities of innocent men being beheaded, women being gang raped and killed along with their children, acts that did nothing to try to end a war, to acts that were likely critical to bringing and end to wars, but you may see it differently, and at the end of the day, we all have to decide were and when to use the acts we find necessary, but as a Marine Veteran, I could never justify the killing or injury of an innocent civilian and modern rules of engagement are very clear about what is a crime and what is not a crime. War is inherently evil though, and in its prosecution, terrible things must be done, but not all terrible things done in war are necessary. We each decide what what was and wasn't.
I did a video about pilot poets on my channel today. In the description, I linked to your great video. Hope you don't mind. 😁
Thank you, good sir! Please include the link to your video!
@@HistoricWings Here's a link to my video. It might get blocked by TH-cam because they might think it's spam. I'll try it anyways. Thanks for the OK! th-cam.com/video/ufvWJOZ9w1U/w-d-xo.html