Thomaston High School - Sea Breeze Yearbook (Thomaston, ME)

Page 27 text:

T THE sm BREEZE 12 1yn's uncle, don't you? Ism't it funny how some people are always gossipingl Yes, Hannah. Yes, call me later. Good-bye! M. s. mi grolaoom Fon A oowluzp Captain Mike O'Brien had been flying a plane ever since he had been in grade school. The U. S, Navy didn't have a single one that he couldn't fly. His father was the owner of one of the largest air- plane factories in the world and yet Mike had been paying his own way ever since he was twenty years old. The test pilots at his fathers' field were always very much attached to him when he was young and they were the ones who taught him to fly. Ever since he could remember his father had been trying to make a good business man out of him. Mike Joined the Navy. His pals often said of him, NIf there's something you wanna know about flying ask Mike, an' if he dunno you can depend on it that, whatever it is, it ain't worth knowin'Y Now his younger brother, Jimmy, who had never taken any interest in flying when he was a boy, was attending a Navy flying school. Jim- my was a very promising student ass during his course until the day arrived for his first solo flight. Mike was at the field waiting to watch the flight, and, though he would never admit it, he was burst- ing with pride. One of Jimmy's friends was also doing his first flight alone just before Jimmy went up. When the boy ca e in,for a landing he lost his control over the ship and crashed. Before aid could reach him the plane broke into flame, leaving him at its mercy. Jimmy watched silently in horror. Then his instructor was walking over to him, saying, WO. K. Jimmy, and good luck.W Reaching the plane he found Mike standing beside it. Mike gripped his younger brother's hand silently, giving him an encouraged look. Jimmy climb- ed in, a mechanic cranked the plane but it never left the ground. As he came down off the wing, starting queerly away, he was white and shaking. Mike, who had been standing very still, gradually began to realize what had happened. Bounding after the cowardly fi ure mov- ing toward the hangar, Mike gripped him by the shoulder, whee?ing him around. He had meant to reason with him about it, but as he looked into the terror-filled eyes, felt the shoulder cringe under his grip, something inside him seemed to give way. What he did say was, WLost your nerve, eh? Well its mighty lucky we found it out. There's no place in the Navy for a yellow coward.H Wincing at the harsh words, Jimmy turned silently and walked away. In his room that evening Mike bowed his head in his hands. All the happiness in his life had suddenly been replaced by a bitter re- sentment. Jimmy, his own brother, was a quitter-a coward who couldn't even see his own solo through. The kid that crashed made one bad mistake, but at least he hadn't given in without giving it a try. Suddenly he felt a hand placed on his shoulder. He had been so deep in his thoughts that he had failed to notice one of his pals entering the room. NHuh,W he grunted absently as he looked up, WOh, hello Dan. UAW, don't take it so hard, Mike ol' hyy. He will get over it

Page 26 text:

-we F5 iw v :fd f fi , , iv. ti-z -S21 - L 111, if 'X v Ah, , , 1-iii? :iii J- we ig V 19:

Page 28 text:

Mi. me f szwq aims ll -ee was 5 rw ff:-If is ,. :Q A-sf Y li ffJ 5,4! i3ar.f, V. . an I-1 1: 1- 'S,f'?m'2a' ' '1-f.,'i::,lg.i ,, Shi? , 'Si'-f fi-L4 , . , . l 2 X :N A .. 43. ' -,' 1 'll ' J M I 5 A. gw+,3Wg,i3Q,lS5. yf kgs' Y ,wif Y 2. 5,1 X zxffri A 2, ' K 'U ff .Q iiexy-.jg'gi3i-2 . 1 5 GfQ2fg'?f5g,1?214 my sf: -fzfw if is- ..f:+ 13Qff 'efQ1