(WBIR) Raised by a minister father in East Tennessee, Gerald Lay packed his New Testament in the pocket of his bomber jacket before bailing out of his crippled B-17 bomber behind enemy lines on just his second mission overseas in World War II.
“The first (mission) was a dud really. The second one is when it took me six months to get back,” recalled the now 91-year-old Mr. Lay.
He joined the Army at age 18 and knew he wanted to fly from a young age. He fulfilled that dream a few months after joining the military by earning co-pilot duty aboard a B-17 “Flying Fortress” in World War II.
In our on-camera interview he describes the day his plane was shot out of the sky in late November 1944. He was captured by German soldiers but explains why he was treated much differently than many other prisoners of war.
Mr. Lay also took time to answer the following 10 questions about the impact his military service had on the rest of his life.
1. What one person influenced you most in life?
Oh, my, I suppose my parents. My father probably, but it would be hard to pick. They were there for me all the time and my dad was a minister, so they kept pretty close track of me.
2. Do you feel honored and respected for serving your country?
Yes, I do.
3. How can people thank you for your service?
Every time I meet someone who learns I’ve been in the service they thank me for it.
4. How do you honor your fellow servicemen and women?
I’m in contact with some of them and I support veterans service organizations.
5. How do you think this generation of servicemen and women is different or similar to yours?
That is a real hard question to answer. We lived in such a different time. I can’t imagine what all they go through these days.
I hope they live by the same principles as we did.
6. What influence did your military service have on the rest of your life?
I think very much so. The experience I had as a pilot got me a job at Oak Ridge. I worked there almost 40 years.
7. Does your family have a history of military service?
My two older brothers were both in service. One served in North Africa and Italy and my other brother served in the South Pacific. We were all fortunate to come home.
8. Would you encourage younger generations in your family to join the service?
I would think so. I’ve got a great grandson considering it and I would encourage him.
9. Having lived through war how has your opinion of it changed?
I wish we didn’t have to have any. I think we may see more. I hate to think of war but I’m not sure about the other solutions sometimes.
10. How did your military experience shape your religious faith?
I was raised in a Christian home. I read the Bible throughout my service. My New Testament survived the parachute jump and stayed with me all through my captivity. We both came home together. I stayed with my faith.
