Last WWII vet at church died yesterday

BigWaylon

BigWaylon

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At the age of 98 97 (according to obit posted down thread), Tom Easterling died yesterday. Here’s an article written about him a couple years ago (heckuva story):

www.thecharlotteweekly.com

WWII pilot survives capture after 68th mission

MINT HILL – On Dec. 17, 1944, Thomas Easterling and 11 other P-47 fighter planes took off from a base in France for a railroad station near Mannheim, Germany. It
www.thecharlotteweekly.com

There were two books written about him. Here’s one: https://www.amazon.com/Furrow-Clouds-Easterling-Farmboy-Prisoner-ebook/dp/B005D9JC2U/ref=nodl_
 
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RIP Sir
 
Rest In Peace Mr. Easterling. Irreplaceable indeed.
 
What a fantastic way to remember this awesome man. @BigWaylon ........Thank you for sharing this on here so the rest of us can know about this piece of history made by a fellow Carolinian.
 
Damn. Sad news. I knew Tom. Got a memorial installed for him at the Mint Hill Veterans Memorial Park. I forget his exact involvement in the organization, but he got the plaque made and I got the granite made and set for him.

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He’s also got a memorial granite bench nearby dedicated to him. I don’t have a pic of it. I’ll try to get one this week and post it.
 
RIP, sir.
 
9outof10mms said:
Damn. Sad news. I knew Tom. Got a memorial installed for him at the Mint Hill Veterans Memorial Park. I forget his exact involvement in the organization, but he got the plaque made and I got the granite made and set for him.

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He’s also got a memorial granite bench nearby dedicated to him. I don’t have a pic of it. I’ll try to get one this week and post it.
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This is exactly why I'm so humbled to be just one small part of this great forum of people like you @9outof10mms . This is so awesome of you to do this for future generations to benefit from in knowing factual parts of our rich history.

I honor you sir.
 
Brangus said:
This is exactly why I'm so humbled to be just one small part of this great forum of people like you @9outof10mms . This is so awesome of you to do this for future generations to benefit from in knowing factual parts of our rich history.

I honor you sir.
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No honor to me, man. I just helped a bad ass old man make sure people remember others like him (POWs) after he passes. Mission accomplished.

I wanted to put his name on the monument (I believe he was the president or had something very instrumental in getting the Metrolina Chapter started). He wanted nothing to do with that! Just a simple piece of granite with a classy plaque. It's actually one of the better-looking (maybe "more interesting" is the word I'm looking for) plaques I've ever seen.
 
Amps 13 said:
These are the men our youth should look up to as hero’s. Not these overpaid athletes.
RIP sir
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I made sure my boys met him. They likely didn't get it and maybe thought it was boring...but it's a bookmark in history that I can recall with them later on and retell Tom's story.
 
Rest in Peace, sir. Thank you for everything you did for this nation.
 
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Here is Tom’s bench at the park, sitting right in front of the POW memorial. I remember now that was what we settled on to give him some recognition. I had another bench moved (no name, just a corporate “thank you”/sponsor) to make room for his in front of the monument.
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