Many people have read about wars in books. To experience war yourself though, is a different story. Manny Panosian, born on May 2nd, 1922, is
one survivor from World War II, who has had that experience. Now 78 years old, Manny still remembers the war. He was a navigator on a B24.
Manny Panosian was a regular man. He was living with his parents and worked at his father’s shoe store. World War II was going on in Europe
and the U.S. was sending supplies to Britain. Much of this didn’t matter to Manny, until December 7, 1941. The Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor
and the U.S. was joining WWII. Manny’s life then changed. His father had fought in WWI, and Manny knew he was going to have to fight in WWII.
Manny was the oldest of five children in his family, so he was the first to enlist. Manny’s younger brother, Jim, was relieved from the war because
he was physically limited. Most men that enlisted to go to war didn’t know what it was like. Manny was one of those men. He had only read about
wars and heard stories about war from his father. It was still hard for him to leave his family. He was enlisted as a pilot and was sent off to start
training for war.
Life before WWII was normal. Manny said his life changed because food was rationed out and pay increased. He said, “the war effected
everyone somehow.” It effected him because he signed up to be a pilot, but was transferred to a navigator. With these jobs you were either dead
or alive, there were no injuries. Manny said he was stationed in London, where they got up, ate, took a two hour flight to Germany, flew back, ate,
and went to bed. Manny said that during the war he ate good meals. He did not know what others ate. Also, the pilot’s and crewmembers’ food was
rationed. He had a lot of experiences, some good and some bad. For example, when his best friend, Malcolm Ruben, was shot down on his first
mission. He also said that he saw people who were running for their lives, trying to escape his plane when he flew a close to the ground bombing.
Manny told us how he had learned to work as a team, dress in a uniform, and to take orders. He also said it was a shame to see all the innocent
people die, when it wasn’t their fault, but Hitler’s.
Manny is now the age of 78. He was in WWII as a navigator. He flew to Germany and dropped bombs. He also said there were many people
killed, and that it was a shame. Manny was the only one in his family to go into the war. His father had been in WWI. His brother, Jim, was not in
the war because he was physically disabled.
Manny Panosian had said one thing he learned from the war, was to never have another one. Manny said that, as a navigator on a B24, he
learned what war was about and how to work in a team. Overall, he learned no good comes from war. He hopes we’ll never have another
one. World War II, for the survivors, is one experience they will never forget.