In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
July 13
Bud Mahurin’s perspective on war began to change in his first dogfight. A burst from his machine guns hit the ME-110 and, as the enemy aircraft trailed smoke and spiraled down, he could see the tail-gunner slumped over and wounded. He realized suddenly that,
“We’re chasing after other human beings, and not just a machine that’s flying in the air.”276 In March 1944 Mahurin himself was shot down and had to bail out of his P-47 behind enemy lines. He came down near Orleans, France, more than 130 miles from the coast. He hid in a field for a day and then made his way to a French farmhouse. The farmer took him to a local member of the Resistance.
During the days that followed he was hidden in haystacks, barns, and basements. Every night he was moved and handed off to another Resistance group. Finally, the difficult arrangements were made for a light plane to pick him up in a field at night. After several failed attempts, he was successfully rescued and flown back to England. His experience gave him another new perspective on war and the dedication of the people who helped him:
The Gestapo and German Army were always looking for downed American and British pilots. Whenever the Germans saw a parachute coming down or they found one of our planes wrecked but no body in it they would flood the area with search parties. If I got caught, I’d be sent to a POW camp. But if the Resistance guys got caught, they would be executed on the spot.277
This is the measure of true commitment, to be prepared to give your life for a cause. Dying for our faith may be a remote possibility, but, if we are committed to our faith, we need to resolve how we will act when things get difficult. My Bible provides an essay with some pointed advice on this subject: “In essence, we must consistently choose to love and obey God, even when doing so is hard or mundane. Like a marriage partner, we choose to stick with God ‘for better or for worse.’ God blesses those who consistently come to him.”278
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.”
July 14
Whit Hill received his draft notice in September 1941 and promptly enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He was sent to sheet metal repair school to learn the skills needed to fix damaged aircraft fuselages. He went to England with the 91st
Bomb Group and soon became a crew chief over seven other men charged with keeping a squadron of B-17 bombers in the air. As the tempo of bombing missions increased, so did the pressure on Hill and his crew.
At the end of each mission the battle and mechanical damage of each returning aircraft was assessed and time to make necessary repairs was estimated. The planes requiring the least amount of work were the first to be repaired. Then there were many shot-up aircraft. The sheet-metal crews would help each other out. There were times when the sheet-metal crews did not get to bed for 72 hours. None of the men from the ground crew mechanics, electricians, prop specialists, bomb loaders, sheet-metal repairmen had any set daily working hours. Every day was Monday; it was ‘work until you drop’ and the password for requested tasks was ‘how soon?’279
I was once amazed by a study showing the morale of postal workers highest during the Christmas season. This seemed counterintuitive at first glance. However, I have learned that most people do respond to a challenge. In fact, many thrive on difficult tasks and take considerable pride in seeing them through. This is a fact of human nature that we should remember in any leadership role. There are always those who thrive on the difficult assignments. They can accomplish great things only if challenged and given opportunities.
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give.
July 15
Jon Schueler did not want to be on the mission. He was sick, but had been ordered to fly anyway. To make matters worse, he had to fill in as navigator for a crew he didn’t know. After a difficult bombing run over St. Nazaire, his B-17 Flying Fortress finally turned for home and then flew into a real calamity: 120 miles per hour headwinds. The formation seemed to inch toward home as enemy fighters constantly preyed on the struggling bombers.
It seemed as though we would never get home. We waited for the Focke Wulfs and the Messerschmitts and we watched the Fortresses fall. Falling Forts. I wanted to hold them. I wanted to go down with them. I wanted to go home. I prayed. I prayed, please God… don’t make this go on and on and on… I can’t stand this boring repetition, please God, get us out of here and get this over with.280
God did answer these prayers, and Jon Schueler returned safely from this mission. However, he was almost shattered by the experience. He was consumed with guilt and the thought that he was responsible for the deaths he had seen. He couldn’t sleep, started losing weight, and was eventually taken off flight status. This was a sensitive man who was affected deeply by what he experienced. It is not uncommon for anyone to feel guilt over his or her survival, or even success, when others are not so fortunate. I believe, however, that there is a better response available when things turn out well for us. We can be thankful, as we prayerfully work through these feelings of guilt. Thankfulness is a more positive attitude that will bring us closer to our Father in heaven, the ultimate source of forgiveness for our real and imagined flaws.
Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
