Thursday, April 5, 2018

Where I Got My Middle Name From ...

While visiting with my Mom in early February, I found a clipping of Roy Worthington's obituary that included much about him I never knew.  I’m thinking Roy was a pretty special person and a good person to be named after.

I was named Daniel Roy Greeley at birth.  Daniel was my dad’s middle name, Roy was my dad’s B17 mentor pilot's name when he first starting flying bombers in WWII.  I always knew that when my dad first started flying as a co-pilot, right seat as it was explained to me, Roy Worthington sat in the left seat, the pilots' seat.  Roy inspired him to become the pilot and move to that left seat.

I recall my dad saying that normally, pilots flew 25 missions and then were transferred back home.  Of course, you always started as a co-pilot and normally moved to the left seat when your pilot rotated out and went home.  He said, I remembered the day he found out Roy had extended to fly an additional 25 missions.  He said he immediately extended because he wasn’t satisfied to be a co-pilot, he wanted to be a pilot, and Roy had taught him so much.  Finally, Roy rotated out and my dad flew a pilot for most of his 50 missions.

Proud to be named after both my dad and Roy.


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