Lowcountry airmen doused the flames as the world burned. Here's where to honor them

“I flew bombers during the war,” he said, “in Europe, Africa and the Pacific.”

The silver-haired veteran, my wife’s grandfather, retired Col. William Cobb, paused, seeming to look back across a gulf of years to recall his World War II experiences, when all the world seemed to be on fire.

“I flew B-24s in Europe and then B-25s in North Africa,” he said. “My B-25 had a cannon in the front to destroy tanks. I remember attacking a German tank and watched the tank’s gun swivel. One shot, then two shots, got the bomber on each side of me, but I got him.

“I flew B-29s over Japan in the Pacific. That is a big ocean. We knew every time we went out that there was a chance we would not be coming back. But we went anyway. We had a job to do.”

That job was the defeat of the Axis powers and preserve freedom across the world.

When America entered the war after the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, it quickly realized that victory would require a long and costly fight. The nation would need soldiers, equipment, ships and aircraft. As the nation mobilized for victory, it seemed everyone had a role, and the Lowcountry would play a big part.

On January 28, 1942, the War Department activated the 8th Air Force at the Armory on Bull Street in downtown Savannah. The “Mighty” 8th was made up of strategic bombers and fighters and assigned to defend England and the Allies in the skies over Europe. Soon hundreds of new aircraft and thousands of men and women came flowing into the Lowcountry before heading to the battle against Nazi Germany.

The 8th Air Force served well and even today defends freedom and the United States. Where its piston-engined bombers once braved war-torn skies, modern aircraft, including the stealth bomber, are stationed across the country.

The Lowcountry is home to the National Museum of the Mighty 8th Air Force located in Pooler.

This state-of-the-art museum includes a 90,000-square foot museum with multi-media exhibits and numerous vintage aircraft.

Tour guides and docents include actual veterans, and there are many programs, camps and events hosted throughout the year.

Outside, there is a memorial garden where a tree-shaded walk recalls the service and sacrifice of the thousands who served. There is a replica of an English country church, reminiscent of the quiet villages and farmlands of England that once hosted the Mighty 8th, as well as several aircraft on display. The most notable is the huge B-47 Stratojet, America’s first operational jet bomber. This exhibit can be seen for miles along I-95.

The crowning glory of the museum is the restored B-17 “Flying Fortress” bomber that is housed at the center of the facility. Here is one of the last of these powerful aircraft restored to its wartime glory.

The museum is a reminder of what a nation and a people can do when they come together to defend and preserve freedom.

Recently, my family and I visited and enjoyed educational films and hands-on exhibits as well as explored the many aspects of wartime life, abroad and on the home front.

The staff was friendly and knowledgeable.

Take an afternoon or a day to stop in and get acquainted with this museum and the sacrifices the “Greatest Generation” made for our freedom.

Getting there

The National Museum of the Mighty 8th Air Force is located near Savannah in Pooler, Ga., and is a short drive from Bluffton.

The museum is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week and is located at 75 Bourne Ave. in Pooler off I-95. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for children ages 6-12. The museum includes a working pub and restaurant that recall wartime life in an English village and entertain modern patrons, too.

A guided tour is recommended.

Call 912-748-8888 for more information or to schedule a tour or go to www.mightyeighth.org/.

This story was originally published June 27, 2018 at 1:29 PM.