Travel is normally an absolute pain in the ass. Predictably, yesterday that was the case in trying to get home from Chicago. Just a quick 50 minute flight home turned into a ordeal the had me here, there and in a hole trying to get out. I hate flying...

Walking onto Southwest Flight to Cleveland there was a open seat next to a very elderly couple in the front row. Well dressed and sitting quietly in their seats lost in thought they looked sweet and like the perfect seat mates to endure my flight with. I just wanted to sit down, buckle up and close my eyes to the world around me. Remember, I was in a travel induced shit hole and just wanted to close my eyes and get home.

I sat down after asking to sit with them and saw the WW II pin on Georges hat. After thanking him for his service we launched into the most absolute amazing conversation I have ever had. Have you ever sat and listened to someone talking where you were immediately drawn into it, just listening in awe? That was me on this flight.

George, and his wife of 67 years were flying home to Cleveland from Phoenix and weary from a full life and a long day of travel. To my shock, he too was a photographer back in WWII. A US Navy Photographersmate stationed in the Pacific theater. He was setting up gun cameras on fighter planes and flying around on other aircraft filming downed pilots from PBY's (Float planes) as they rescued them from being shot down, or recording the wreckage to document the lost souls shot down by Zero's. More crazy that that was being sent with Marines onto beaches documenting battles after they had come ashore. He told me how Joe Rosenthal had to be flown to his unit's location after the Battle of Iwo Jima to have George help develop still pictures taken during the battle of Iwo Jima. He said having the only air conditioned photo processing lab in the Pacific theater, they had lots of unique things come into their dark room. To those of you who don't know, Joe Rosenthal is the photographer who shot the image of the Marines on Mt. Surabachi raising the US Flag after the battle. Iconic. George smiled, and shared with me that he has a original, autographed image in his home of this same iconic image from the original negative. Can you imagine pushing paper around a tray in a dimly lit room in 1945 whith chemicals heavy in the air to see THAT picture materialize IN FRONT of your eyes? We talked about the mechanics on 16MM film cameras used to record dog fights from the gun cameras and how he used to pull the films from the aircraft and prep them for the Senior Officers to review after the battles.

He left the Navy after the war and assumed a life within the photography industry selling chemicals and supplies to commercial photo finishing businesses. Hearing him talk of Roliflex cameras, Kodachrome and all the other pieces of gear and gadgets I have never touched but stuff that has recorded some of histories greatest and worst moments? Impressive.

I was sad to feel the planes forward motion slow and then start to descend back to earth. Our stories were just getting good and I was no longer in that travel hell I was in 45 minutes earlier. Georges wife slept the entire time. Now dealing with Parkinson's and recently a broken hip, "she's tired" George told me. The entire time, holding his wives hand. I asked if his kids or family was picking him up at the airport. They never had kids and to make matters worse they have no family left, just them alone in this world. I offered to drive them home and he said I need not spend time with an old man, rather to get on home to my family. I'm a better man for hearing his stories and being in his presence for this short time. He said they were coming home from Arizona to sell their small summer home here and find a assisted living place for them to spend their remaining days.

I got out of my seat at One-F and walked off the plane and can't stop thinking of George, his wife and a photo of Iwo Jima hanging on his wall at home. These are the untold stories and I am fortunate enough to have gotten a glimpse of the greatest generation (and a much better man for it).