"If You Have Flown" by Betty Huyler Gillies

[cutiger83]

This poem is in the front of the book "On Wings To War" by Jan Churchill. The book is about a WAF/WASP Teresa James. A fellow WAF/WASP, Betty Gillies, wrote this poem that I think truly expresses the feeling you get when flying:

 

There are no words that can express

The Magic of that wilderness

That wilderness away up high

Where banks of clouds float softly by

And hide the problems of earth below

But then you know, -

If you have flown.

 

If you have flown, then you know

The beauty of the world below,

The meadows green, the waters sapphire blue,

You've felt that it belonged alone to you,

And as your ship obeyed your slightest will

You've felt a thrill, -

If you have flown.

 

For to those who sail the sky above

Comes peace of mind and understanding love.

There is no bitterness in the sky

As gently earth and clouds drift by

All is beautiful, serene, -

You know exactly what I mean, -

If you have flown.

[Cobrahistorian]

Thanks for putting a huge smile on my face, Kat. Man, I need to get back in the cockpit of ANYTHING....

[cutiger83]

Thanks for putting a huge smile on my face, Kat. Man, I need to get back in the cockpit of ANYTHING....

 

Yesterday, I was helping Bayne paint some in their new house. I told him about the poem. He said he definitely forgets all of his troubles when he is flying.

 

...Kat

[Third Herd]

Back in 1970, I got a ride back from a TDY from a base in Korea back to Osan in a C-47, the pilot an older Black Lieutenant Colonel, let me up at the back of the cockpit. He told about how he loved to fly and the beauty of the sky, he must have lived for those supply flights to get out from behind a desk. Later I wondered if he could have been a Tuskegee Airman, it was one of the smoothest flights I was ever on.

[Cobrahistorian]

Yesterday, I was helping Bayne paint some in their new house. I told him about the poem. He said he definitely forgets all of his troubles when he is flying.

 

...Kat

 

I'll second that. I've gotta give him a call.

[Johnny Signor]

Small world , I met Jan some years ago at a local air show she flew in her O-2 Cessna , in talking with her I eneded up painting the emblem of the 549th TASTS on her aircraft cowling , she was wearing a flight suit with the patch on it and we got to talking about my being an artist of various avaition emblems and she asked if I could put it on the nose of her O-2 , well I was more than happy to be able to do the work !

 

I saw her again some years later and she remembered me and the nose emblem still looked great !

Johnny

I can very much relate to her poem, I have been up several times ,I'm not a pilot, but have been friends with several, one was a WW2 ace of 5 kills he took me up during an airshow in his Navion and we flew in along with a B-25, some T-6's etc around the local airport and over to two other small ones close by , another was a man who owned a WACO UPF-7 , open cockpit , doesn't get any better than that , he took me up three different times, the first time he even took me out over my place and my folks were outside at the time and I waved and hollered at them ,they heard me , he would land in the center of the grass area between the concrete runways just like the old days when all there was was grass fields !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Another time was with a local pilot who owns a recent type ex Luftwaffe trainer type , he had me do a Luft emblem on his bird , and then asked if I'd like to go up with him as he had to go to Orlando to pick up a prop spinner cover for the bird, I was there with bells on as they say , we went up and out over the river from the ap there and then he asked if I cared if he did a few loops/rolls , I said "GO FOR IT " !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Awesome !!!!!!!!!!!!! we then proceded to the ap in orlando to get the spinner, he let me take the controls for a bit so I got to fly it straight and level for awhile ,that was cool , we then landed got the prop cover and then took off back for Merritt Island, on the way back guess what , MORE loops and Rolls AWESOME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Those are times I will always remeber , and I know hwo it is to fly , it can't be beat !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Johnny

[Jack's Son]

There are some things one has to experience to understand!

[Bluehawk]

I know what she means... and miss it (military a/c flying, that is), a lot!