Past meets present at honorary luncheon Published Sept. 22, 2009 By John Ingle 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- The past and present came together Sept. 22 when Frank Parkinson, World War II B-24 Liberator gunner, met Tech. Sgt. Franklin Hunt, 82nd Training Wing command Chief Master Sergeant executive assistant and AC-130 Spooky gunner, at an event to honor a member of the greatest generation. Guests and visitors honored Mr. Parkinson at the Red Door Senior Citizen Center as part of the Greatest Generation, an award Mr. Parkinson said he was surprised to receive. He said he felt the honor should go to those who didn't come home or were killed in combat. Their stories might be different--they enlisted 54 years apart--but, their service to the country and honor in doing so is what makes it possible for these warrior Airmen to transcend time and share a common bond. The past Mr. Parkinson, a Wichita Falls, Texas native born in 1923, enlisted into the Army Air Corps shortly after the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor. After training at Wolters Field near Mineral Wells, Texas, the young aviator was sent to fight in Europe. "You got shot up all the time," he said. "It looked like you could get out and walk on the black flak." Mr. Parkinson's service included a mission on D-Day. Mr. Parkinson said aerial crews had it much easier than those who attempted to land on and take the beaches. "It was very terrible--a terrible situation," he said. "We were blessed, but a lot weren't. My heart goes out to all who lost their lives." The Liberator gunner eventually retrained into a radar career field, but he said he continued to fly in the B-24. He said he would use radar to jam German signals providing a safe path for aircraft to travel. Mr. Parkinson said he returned home to Wichita Falls, Texas, after the war, and he's been there since. The present Sergeant Hunt said he manned all three of the AC-130U Spooky's gunner positions during his five tours in Afghanistan, comprising the 105, 40 and 25mm guns. Technology and circumstance are two differences between today's engagements and those Mr. Parkinson faced in the early 1940s, Sergeant Hunt said. He said he and his gunnery predecessor discussed the differences during their brief meeting. "He wanted to know about computers coming into the equation, and how they affect the human element," Sergeant Hunt said. The aircraft and weapons have changed over the years, however, the techniques developed more than 60 years ago remain the same. "When it comes to that job," Sergeant Hunt said, "the phrase 'led the way' comes to mind. The lessons they learned are what we go by." The sergeant said he admires the efforts of people like Mr. Parkinson and what they did to preserve freedom for others. He said it's difficult to understand their selfless acts of courage. "You only know what you see in the movies," he said. "It took tremendous self-sacrifice to do what he did." Never forget Mr. Parkinson said Airmen today, just like those with whom he served, are trained to do a job. When asked how he compared Airmen from his service to those serving today, he said he didn't "want to pit one against the other." Mr. Parkinson said, "When you're serving your country, you're serving your country." He said it's important for young Airmen today to remember where they came from, and remember those who paid the ultimate price for freedom. "The main thing is to honor those who didn't come back," Mr. Parkinson said. "A bunch of our buddies and friends didn't come back."