I believe, all of our grandfather’s who served in WWII were heroes….every single one of them. But some mens’ wars were harder than others. I believe my grandfather’s was one of the hardest of all.

He was a pilot. He flew “The Hump.” His name was Robert Lloyd Gorrell and he would have been 87 this month.

Like all of my grandparents, Grandpa Gorrell was born and raised in Toledo. He and my grandmother (Ellen Matthews) were childhood sweethearts. I believe they were the loves of each others lives. Cliche as that is, in their case it was true. Grandpa had good taste. This picture was taken when they were teenagers. (I totally think I inherited her smirk.)

I don’t know what his plans were, but like millions they were waylaid after December 7, 1941. My grandfather enlisted in the Army Air Corps (before there was an Air Force) and was soon sent on one of the most dangerous missions of the war.

In  May of 1942, the Japanese cut off land supply routes to  China. In response, the U.S. organized the largest strategic air bridge in the world. The airbridge became the “road of life” for the people of China as pilots transported critical food and supplies to them. The air bridge became known as “The Hump” because the pilots flew a hump-shaped path over the Himalayan mountains.

The casualties were staggeringly high. On each trip, pilots faced treacherous terrain, bad weather, equipment failures and attacks from enemy fighters. The group lost as much as half of the aircraft flying. Often times, crews were given the horrific task of flying in to retrieve debris from previous crashes so they could use the parts to repair the remaining planes in the fleet. The debris must surely have included their brothers who didn’t make it out alive. And the next day, they were up flying the same route that claimed their friends. And the day after that.

Understandably, after my grandpa came home, he never wanted to fly again. He lived with PTSD decades before it was recognized as such. He and Grandma had four children of whom my dad is the oldest and named after him. Grandpa ran Gorrell Cleaners with his older brother, Uncle Chuck (who turned 95 this year!). Every now and again, I’ll run into someone who remembers our family dry cleaning business and it makes me smile.

I regret that I didn’t get to know Grandpa Gorrell as an adult. I have mostly childhood memories of him.  He died right after I turned 18 but I was a normal, self-absorbed teenager then. I remember he was smart and wickedly funny (jokes I cannot repeat here) and pretty much drove everyone nuts. He had great love for all of us which he sometimes didn’t know how to show. When he did, it was fierce and memorable like the time he marched into my Dad’s elementary school to stick up for him against his teacher (at a time I’m sure most dads never thought of such a thing). I know he was immensely proud of my sister and me. I know that if he were alive today, there probably wouldn’t be a house in Lincolnshire who didn’t know when my sister’s show was on or that his Other Grandaughter is a lawyer (and we would both roll our eyes everytime…in fact I did just now as I typed it). He was fiercely proud of all of his grandkids. Some of them were too little to remember, but I do and will forever. Ask me anytime Scott, Jeff, Emily, Steve, Ellen or Katie. I will tell you.

I miss you Grandpa and I love you too. Happy birthday.

 ”Hump” Links

http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2000/09/08/loc_hump_crews_tell_of.html

http://www.sinoam.com/USAAF_HUMP_AIRLIFT_OPERATION.htm

http://www.humppilots.com/