Cy Perkins

    Cy flew a total of 19 missions, over Japan. He was awarded an air medal for living

through ten raids. When he went over to Japan, the found how much more sophisticated

the Japanese planes were. They had to do many different movements to catch the enemy

where they wanted them. It was almost like a deadly dance in a way, as each opponent

tried to trick the other. Later into the war though, the technology improved, to adapt to

the US’s needs. He and his fellow pilots flew B22’s, as well as B17’s. Once they got to

areas with less enemy planes, they still had threats. That was the Anti-Aircraft Fire, from

below. He had been very lucky, and was able to live through those vicious missions. The

typical day started by getting up early and eating breakfast. Then, they would get ready

and go to briefing. This was where they were told their mission. Then, they got last minute

things together, and were off. The missions ended up being a long and grueling fourteen

to sixteen hours a day. After all of his missions, he finally saw and ends to the war. Little

did he know how hard the choices of what to do next would be?

      Cy was still in combat during the time he found out the war had ended. After all of

that, he was very relieved. Everyone was celebrating. After the war they sent him home.

They gave him fifty days to decide if he was going to reenlist or not. That would be one

of the hardest decisions in his life. He declined though, and got a job. He also got himself

a wife and was married. The war greatly changed his life. He says it made him grow up in

a sense, and it made him better with people.

        When he thinks about it, he wouldn’t take a million bucks to go back into war. Still,

he wishes he could fly again. All in all, the war had its ups and downs. The flying of

planes was quite an enjoyment for him. The killing though was the bad part. Cy wishes

that we remembered all those who died fought in the war, or made their own sacrifices on

the homefront. For they gave up so much for what we have now.

        Imagine, living during such a horrific and terrifying war as World War II. One

brave man named Cy Perkins lived through such an experience. He was born during the

Great Depression, in August of 1933. When the entered the war, after the bombing of

Pearl Harbor, he quickly joined. The experiences that he shared with us are amazing

and shocking. How he was before the war, how he was during the war, and how he

was after, shows how such an event can greatly change someone’s life.

              Cy Perkins lived in Southport before the war. At the time he was nineteen and

had already graduated. When he found out the news of Pearl Harbor, he and his friend

were driving down Broadway. The news was a bit distressing, and they were both a bit

angry because of it. Still they knew there was a war about to start, and they were going

to be a part of it. So he then decided to go into pilot training. Here, he learned all the

aspects of flight, that he needed in order to be successful during battle. They started

with single engines, such as the World War I planes and moved up. He said that he like

these ones the best though. After a long pilot training, he was then awarded his wings,

for successfully becoming a pilot. Training though, didn’t compare to what lie ahead,

when he fought in the war.