Willow Heights Veteran Maintained B-29 Planes

PITTSBURGH - Nov. 10, 2013 - PRLog -- The B-29 Superfortress four-engine, propeller-driven aircraft still holds a special meaning to George Wickline nearly 70 years after he worked on the long-range heavy bombers.

     Wickline, who resides at Willow Heights independent living community in McKees Rocks, was called to active service in the 442^nd Troop Carrier Group, 97^th Airdrome Squadron in the European Theater of Operations in 1945. He was among the maintenance people who worked on B-29s, long-range heavy bombers, the heaviest production planes in use because of their increased range and bomb load.

     “They had many new features, including guns that could be fired by remote control and crew areas that were pressurized,” he said. “We felt a great sense of pride in having serviced those planes. I still do.”

       Boeing built a total of 2,766 B-29s and ended their production in 1946. Most of the B-29s were used in the Pacific theatre during World War II. The most famous B-29, The Enola Gay, dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, in August 1945.

     After training in Amarillo, Wickline was transferred to the East Coast where he boarded a troop ship to Europe. He landed in Le Havre France and then traveled via troop train to Germany and was stationed at a troop carrier base in Haar, a small town outside of Munich.

     Wickline said he saw much devastation in Munich. One day he received permission to visit a small beer garden where Adolph Hitler was made head of the Nazi party and where many of the party’s meetings were held.

     “We made friends with some people in the village and offered to help them in any way we could,” Wickline said. “They repaid our kindnesses with wild strawberries and dinners.”

      After the war, Wickline returned home, married his high school sweetheart, Charlotte, and took advantage of the GI Bill, going first to California State College to receive his teaching certification and then to the University of Pittsburgh to work towards his Masters degree.  He taught for only short time before working for U.S. Steel.

     Even though Wickline wasn’t in direct combat, he spoke about how difficult it would be to take a life.

      “If it came down to one of us, you would have to make a decision,” Wickline said. “It would be hard.  The training would most definitely kick in.”

       “War has been around for a very long time,” he continued. “I’m not a proponent of war, but unfortunately, it is part of life.  I would rather help work towards peace and assist those in need – to a point.  It is important not to take too much responsibility away from those you are helping.  You can hurt someone because you help them too much.  You take away their accountability and their independence.  It’s like teaching a hungry man to fish instead of just giving him fish to eat.”

      At 87 years of age, George is surrounded by his two daughters and four grandchildren as well as his “family” at Willow Heights.  His wife passed away a few years ago.

     One of his grandsons is a U.S. Navy Seal.  Wickline worries about him, but has faith in his training and abilities.

     Willow Heights will recognize and honor its veterans during a Veterans Day Celebration at 2 p.m. in the facility’s dining room.

For more information, contact Phyllis Stern, Director of Sales/Move-ins, The Residence at Willow Lanes/Willow Heights, at 412.331.6139 or pstern@integracare.com.