The Real Harry Crosby: Masters of the Air
2024 ж. 26 Ақп.
28 677 Рет қаралды
Jeff Crosby sat down with us to talk about the portrayal of his father, Harry H. Crosby of the 100th Bomb Group, on the Apple TV series "Masters of the Air" and discuss why his father was a true hero. #mastersoftheair #history #ww2
I was an Army doctor and Captain when I met your father at one of his book signing events in March 1993 in Dayton Ohio. My adult son is now watching the show and is reading your father’s book signed by your father. I remember him as a very humble man. How fortunate you are to have been raised by such a wonderful man.
I am glad you met him. He paid a lot of attention to responses to his book -- took them all seriously. I believe my sister Becky said he responded to over 700 letters. He was indeed humble, with a lot of self-deprecatory humor. He also was a proud person, proud of his work, his role in the war, his family, etc. Like children and parents do, we fought out our disagreements -- it was the 60s! And yes I was fortunate to be raised by him and my wonderful mother.
Jeff, Your father and mine were crewmates and friends on John Brady's original aircrew. Harry came down from Boston at my invitation to speak at my father's memorial service in NYC, in October of 1977. 20 years later, l visited him in Lovell, where we had a great conversation and he autographed and inscribed my copy of "A Wing And Prayer." Please contact me. Thanks, Dan Levitt.
Thanks Dan. I am not at all surprised that he spoke at his memorial service. Happy to get in touch -- do you want to put your contact info here, or maybe through Greater Lynn Senior Services -- who did such a great job with this video, by the way. I have been to only a few of the 100th Bomb Group Association gatherings, but they have been a great way for descendants to meet and keep the story of the 100th fresh.
@@jeffcrosby1209 Jeff, Thanks for your response. l'll call GLSS and leave a message if you're not available.
Just finished masters of the air, great series, thanks for everyones contributions, RIP TO THE FALLEN & GOD BLESS AMERICA 🇺🇸 🙏🏾
As an Austrian, born 20years after the war, I‘m so thankful to all the soldiers fighting for freedom against the Nazis, for their bravery. As a mother watching Masters of the Air brings tears into my eyes, especially under the cirumctances that some politicians are shouting for a big war. I believe the suffering and dying we had as a result after two World Wars should be enough to shout for freedom. Great honor to your father and all the others,thanks
Yes so many suffered and died. Our own heroes deserve their honors. And to think that 28 million Soviet soldiers and citizens died also. and that 2.5 million British colonial troops served under British command, from dozens of countries.
RIP, Harry Crosby. A real American hero. 🇺🇸
Thank you.
Thank you for your thoughtful comments and for sharing your dad’s and your family’s stories with us all. Your dad was truly a hero.
He was indeed. I think for all of his four children MOTA helped us see that more clearly.
I'm presently reading A Wing and A Prayer, so I'm glad I came across this video. Both of my parents were in the Army during the war. My dad, Master Sergeant Tom Crosby, was in hospital administration and served in England. Band of Brothers and The Pacific inspired me to devote myself to learning more about the sacrifices the Greatest Generation made to defeat the enemies of liberty and democracy.
It’s a great book, the OG history of the 100th. Enjoy it! I was lucky to get an autographed copy from Harry.
I appreciate your fathers service. My Dad was really clear, repeatedly, on how much he owed to all the soldiers and support services on the ground that kept him alive and in the air. In his book he describes that when he was promoted to Captain and he got his own jeep he rode all over the base to see what the people packing parachutes did, the food workers etc., and he was devoted to the mechanics who he credits with saving many lives. One of the things I think I got from him (and his father) was respecting work and workers. Unfortunately the enemies of liberty and democracy are still with us.
@@jeffcrosby1209 Thank you, Jeff. His gratitude to support staff was very clear in the book. My dad was not a pilot, but he was on the teams who flew from England to the continent to transport the wounded to hospitals. The threat to liberty and democracy is frightening. I honor your father for the causes to which he devoted himself after leaving the service.
Clearly Harry Crosby did leave the world better than he found it. Not just his helping with the war, but raising great kids as well.
My dad was a very young merchant seaman during the war. My hero . Thank you and your family for sharing your dad with us. ❤ 🇬🇧❤️🇬🇧
Thank you and for your fathers' service
Thank you for sharing … your Dad, all of them who served….. we owe them So much.
Yes we do.
Jeff, I’ve met you through the North Shore Labor Council. I’m involved with the National Association of Letter Carriers. I wish I had known Harry was your Dad. A Wing and Prayer is an outstanding book! I had a good friend I met on my mail route in Peabody, Kenny LaBelle who served with the 100th BG aboard Our Gal Sal for 33 missions. I pass along the book to Kenny and he read your dad’s book over and over and it meant a lot to him! I still have the Boeing B-17G control yoke center emblem her tore off Our Gal and he gave to me before he passed.
Amazing story, thanks for sharing it with me. As I think i said in the GLSS interview, my Dad was a writer and talker (Lord he could talk! :) ) and others told me his story helped other vets talk about the war. All of this of course has brought back so many memories for me and my siblings. Wish he and my wonderful Mom were still with us, but that's not how things work.
Glad I came across this video. Am currently reading "A Wing and A Prayer," inspired to do so after watching "Masters of the Air." One of my uncles flew B-25s in the South Pacific during WWII.
Enjoy. I have run into so many who had family in the air war. The series has brought back memories for all of us.
This is a great interview, thank you for sharing this ❤
I knew another B-17 Navigator and his wife, although most of his missions were out of Italy. My Dad was P47s. Great generation. Thanks for sharing.
And let's keep sharing -- these stories need to be told.
How blessed it must be to have a first class organization be DEDICATED to telling the accurate story of your father’s life as one of the 100’s of thousands of heroes who saved civilization during WW2.
Yes. There are important parts of the book Masters of the Air that could have been included in the series -- like a section on black soldiers in England (some of whom worked at Thorpe Abbots as truck drivers) dealing with the weight of Jim Crow in the US when England did not have that explicit white supremacist social structure. But as far as telling the story of the heroes who saved civilization, yes, that was their intent, and they have done a great job.
I met your father when he came to Maine to speak at the Maine Aviation Historical Society back in 2000. He was just the nicest guy, spoke with everyone who came up to him...and what a story he had to tell! The 100BG more than deserve having their story made into a TV series!
He responded to every letter he got about his book A Wing and A Prayer, my sister Becky said. I think it was over 700 letters. And he still kept in touch with people he went to grade school with! I can barely remember people I met last week. But that's the way he was. He liked and respected people and valued maintaining relationships and talking to everyone, he made the effort. And he enjoyed making that effort.
@@jeffcrosby1209 I count myself fortunate for having met your father
I just bought Harry's book and cant' wait to read it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about your Dad.
You are welcome.
They were all heroes to me we should never forget them ever
Yes, all of them
Damn. This was amazing. Thank you.
Thank you for watching, and thanks to the amazing GLSS team the did such a great job editing the piece. Local groups like this are so important to our communities.
I have just finished watching the series Masters of the Air. I didn’t know the characters were actual people until the end. I always have so much respect for the crews that did this day after day…knowing what they were going to face and still doing it. I joined the British army and did my basic training at Bassingbourn, which was used by the USAAF and the 91st bombardment group I believe. I had the great honour of escorting some American veterans down to the control tower museum, I remember thinking to myself that they were not very chatty but when I thought about it in later years I realised the memory and emotions that must have been overwhelming them at the time must of been difficult to deal with…..and there is me yapping on about nothing in particular!!!Thankyou Harry Crosby and your comrades for your service, I feel I know you a little better now, 🇺🇸 🇬🇧
Hi. I first learned about your dad from reading Edward Jablonski’s book, “Flying Fortress”. I came away from that brief portion in a much larger story truly admiring him and his achievements. My favorite story was about his having made the arrangements for Robert Rosenthal’s final mission of flying POWs out of Germany. Mr. Jablonski called your dad “that enterprising dreamer” who set the whole thing up and got Rosie to fly that mission. I read that book in 1966 at the age of 10. I just had my 68th birthday last February 29th, and it is the first thing I thought of while watching this video. I also read your dad’s book as a further preparation for watching “Masters of the Air”. What a magnificent story teller and American hero!!
My Dad always called Rosie the greatest hero of the 100th. I do think MOTA could have focused more on Rosie's motivation in fighting anti-Semitism as a Jew. My Dad said Rosie was the one who reminded everyone of what the war was about and for. I don't know if my Dad met many Jewish folks growing up in Iowa, or if he knew much about anti-Semitism in the early years of his life. But after the war opposing Anti-Semitism was part of his outlook, from inviting new Jewish neighbors to our home when others did not, to my parents close friendships with other Jews where we lived -- including with the parents of my now wife! I imagine his experiences fighting Nazism and his friendship and deep admiration to Rosie contributed to all of that.
Harry Crosby Was An Amazing Young 23 Yr Old. Just An Amazing Man.
I have read your father's book. It is a great well written book about the early days of the 100th. My father's first cousin was also a member of the 100th. Although his first mission didn't happen until January 29th 1945. Like your father, Gene Greenwood was born and raised in Iowa. He was from Winterset. Just 50 miles from your father's hometown.
One of the things that struck me in all 3 of the Spielberg-Hanks series was how many of the soldiers came from small towns -- as well as the Bucky Egans and Rosie from New York. (I liked everything about Egan in the show except that he was a Yankee fan!) Probably this reflects the US population at the time. In an unpublished auto-biography that my father wrote, he talks a lot about wanting to go beyond his small town (of which he has only fond memories) to see the "Great Out There", I think he called it. My Mom was from a small town in Missouri that is about the same size as it was in 1936. The living cousins from that Chillicothe family still stay in touch -- we are now in our 70s and more.
@jeffcrosby1209 Gene Greenwood spent 32 years in the Air Force retiring in 1975. He even did an assignment in Washington DC. He retired to Florida. After passing in 2017 he was buried next to his wife and a few yards from his parents just a few blocks from the hospital he was born in back in his hometown of Winterset.
😊@@jeffcrosby1209
God bless!!!! Legend in your blood!!!
Thank you.
My copy of Wing And A Prayer arrives on Friday!
Enjoy! I've read it 3 times now (you don't have to do that!), and have noticed different parts of the story each time, especially after I had seen the first five episodes of MOTA.
Excellent video portrait. Thank you!
Bravo Crosbys!
Especially my tireless archivist sister Becky, who fed information and documents to the MOTA producers for over 5 years.
nice to hear this!!
Fun for me too!
What a sweet video. I just bought Harry's book and I'm eager to read it. I'm not watching the TV show. I think it will take away from the real thing.
Thank you
You are welcome.
Gale “Buck” Cleven was my dad’s first cousin. I met him when I was very young, along with his dad.
I believe in my Dad's book he called the two Bucky's the heart and soul of the 100th.
Imagine knowing your dad saved the world as we know!
Yes one of so many.
Technically, every member of Allied aircrew in WW2 was a volunteer who could have refused to fly at any time. Most of course did not refuse, and I say, as an aviator with thousands of hours but nobody shooting at me, that every man who went up to engage in combat 5 miles above this earth, was a true hero!
Amazing. I wonder what the real story was. Kudos to your father and thanks for his service and efforts during the war. They really were the greatest generation. Thank you from a grateful Brit.
And we remember the courage of all the Brits who stood alone for so long. Hard to imagine where we would be today if Britain had fallen.
Great stuff, and full respect! One issue that was passed over was the portrayed infidelity with the subaltern. I find it hard to imagine that the family appreciated its general portrayal, let alone the fairly explicit graphic scenes. I suppose the portrayal must be true to life, or else the family would never have tolerated it, I think. Still enjoying the series, understanding that the scenes and dialog must be heavily fictionalized.
Yes dialog especially almost totally fictionalized of course. Producers and writers said they only tried to write things that actually happened or could have happened, and as far as I can tell they did a pretty good job of that. Relationship with Landra was of course built out, but there was such a person, according to my Dad's book. It was war, bringing people together who did not know if they were going to live another day.
Read 35 years ago, what a read!
I mentioned to another comment here that I have now read it 3 times, and each time I see or remember something different
God bless you and your father and family!
Thank you
I don't know many 23 year olds these days, who would have the love of country and duty to each other mentality so many had then. I'm not sure they would have been able to face what Lt. Col Crosby and his crews did. It's so lovely that his family allowed us a further glimpse into what became of Harry and the life he made for himself after the war.
With the right situation and the right leaders, I’m sure that the young people today could rise to the occasion. Look no further than Ukraine, where 20-something’s are all taking up arms and sacrificing for their country! But having the right leaders is often the most difficult part of that equation. What if Harry had been born in Germany in 1920 or Japan in the 1920? Or Russia in 2000? Or Afghanistan in 1980? Or the American South in the 1840s? Lots of wrong sides to be on, if you think about it. Fact is… We are the luckiest people in general, in the last 250 years to be born in the US. Up until 24 years ago, and scattered here and there, we have had good leaders. It’s gotten real shaky the last 20 years in the US. And I bet you are reading this thinking I am a right wing person. I am not. I am a liberal Democrat. Harry Crosby was a liberal Democrat. Most of the heros I was raised around were really decent liberal Democrats. I have two uncles that served on b17s in the UK in 43-45, both big Dems. I met George McGovern in college, who was a hero pilot in ww2 and we spent a lot of time one weekend talking about these issues, when he came to visit and I was working for the student union. And best of all, I grew up in Asheville NC and knew Col. Bob Morgan very well. He was a family friend. He gave me my first ride his small plane, when I was 8 years old and instill a life long love of flying. We were school kids with his youngest daughter. They were Republicans, we were Democrats. Hardly a difference between us back in the 60s and 70s. Today, totally different. These young 23 year old boys of the 1940s lived and died for democracy. So ask yourself, if half the country today wants to throw democracy away, what chance to do we have? My son is 17 and plans to go into the Navy and serve. I am so proud, but I worry if we will have the leaders for him which would make his sacrifice and service meaningful. Just my thoughts, late at night, after seeing your comment.
@@constantreader7944 It's a sad situation to have to even think of the possibilities of our kids having to face a WW. Thanks for your comments.
My guess is that they will step up -- and they may have to. Sometimes when I hear folks in my generation (I am 73) talk about younger folks it reminds me of my fathers generation talking about my own peers. It's a generational thing sometimes. I guess my regret is that we elders are not leaving the twenty-somethings some of what my father's generation left us -- pensions, rising wages, union jobs, etc. On the other hand, there has been progress on many fronts. I am counting on the 23 years olds to do their part.
How did the rooting bit go down?
I connected most with the Crosby character. Reserved, somewhat quiet, intelligent but with a bit of low self confidence.
The writer called his character kind of an everyman -- not the loudest person, not the most famous (that would go to Rosie, and deservedly so!) but someone who grew into his job and did it with determination and skill. He also called the character "the only one with an arc during the series", which is part of what makes him relatable to people who watch the series.
i've not read crosby's book yet, but does he state in it that he has an affair with the subbelton? Wondering how the family feel about the series showing so much of that..
He talks about it in detail in his book. Incredibly honest man. Great audio book!
@@constantreader7944 I appreciate that the series present him as a real human being that was not perfect but was heroic. And in the book he's honest not only about his achievements but also about his faults
Yes its in the book. Our family jokes that the 2 brothers assumed it was a fully romantic relationship and the two sisters did not. At this point I think we are all agreed that the relationship is pretty clearly implied in his book. The producers told us they would not do anything that would embarrass the family, and we basically said we knew they were making a dramatic production. No one is too upset, but I think we all agree that the brief sex scenes (I think in Episode 6) were gratuitous. Since MOTA came out and since my Dad;s book A Wing and a Prayer was published in a French edition, there has been more research that indicates that the Sandra character was actually a spy for the British. Honestly I thought Dad had embellished that part -- he was not above exaggeration. But the more I read now about London during the war it seems like half the population was spying on the other half, so it started to make more sense. I actually found her character attractive, and was glad to see a strong women character in the show. @@nataliajimenez1870
Can't imagine doing math thousands of feet in the air while getting shot at and surviving the whole ordeal only to do it again.
I am my fathers' son, but I could not do that math sitting in my home office!
@@jeffcrosby1209 True 🤣
Very respectfully the war didnt break out in 1941
With all due respect. The start date of WW2 will depend on many factors such as your nationality, location on the planet, etc. For those of us in, what was formally known as the British Empire the WW2 period of world history is known as the 1939 - 1945 war. For other nations and their populations it will differ. It was only after the unprovoked Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, that the political will of the USA was for the most part polarised into proactive defence of its territory. This as history shows like the rest of the world had a heavy price paid in financial and most devastatingly human life. We will never forget those who have fallen in the quest for world peace, their unselfish sacrifice must not be squandered.
@@charlieanderson5126 I try to remember that while we (the US) lost 450,000 troops, a devastating number, the Soviets lost 28 million! About 8 million soldiers and the rest civilians. And there were 2.5 million soldiers from the British colonies fighting fascism as well. The Red Army had turned back Hitlers' invaders before D-Day happened. That doesn't make the story of the invasion, or the 100th, any less heroic, but it is important to remember that others made even greater sacrifices.
did he really cheat on his wife in real life? just curious if the show is accurate or not regarding this
When people wonder about the greatest generation, and how the kids today wouldn’t be able to do these things, look no further than Ukraine, where lots of 23 year olds have taken up areas and are sacrificing for their county. With the right situation and the right leaders, I’m sure that the young people today in THE UA could rise to the occasion. But having the right leaders is often the most difficult part of that equation. What if Harry had been born in Germany in 1920 or Japan in the 1920? Or Russia in 2000? Or Afghanistan in 1980? Or the American South in the 1840s? Lots of wrong sides to be on, if you think about it. Fact is… We are the luckiest people in general, in the last 250 years to be born in the US. Up until 24 years ago, and scattered here and there, we have had good leaders. It’s gotten real shaky the last 20 years in the US. And I bet you are reading this thinking I am a right wing person. I am not. I am a liberal Democrat. Harry Crosby was a liberal Democrat. Most of the heros I was raised around were really decent liberal Democrats. I have two uncles that served on b17s in the UK in 43-45, both big Dems. I met George McGovern in college, who was a hero pilot in ww2 and we spent a lot of time one weekend talking about these issues, when he came to visit and I was working for the student union. And best of all, I grew up in Asheville NC and knew Col. Bob Morgan very well. He was a family friend. He gave me my first ride his small plane, when I was 8 years old and instill a life long love of flying. We were school kids with his youngest daughter. They were Republicans, we were Democrats. Hardly a difference between us back in the 60s and 70s. Today, totally different. These young 23 year old boys of the 1940s lived and died for democracy. So ask yourself, if half the country today wants to throw democracy away, what chance to do we have? My son is 17 and plans to go into the Navy and serve. I am so proud, but I worry if we will have the leaders for him which would make his sacrifice and service meaningful.
Yeah, I share the same concerns. My Mom and Dad split their vote (she voted Republican) until 1960. It's up to us, nothing is given. And people change, circumstances change. Interesting to note that like a lot of young men in the 1930s (and maybe women too) my Dad saw Charles Lindbergh as a hero -- who has we know had fascist sympathies (at least). And he admired Gen. Curtis LeMay's leadership in WWII and was honored to be named one of the 8th Air Force's top officers by LeMay. As Commander in Chief of the Air Force LeMay wanted to bomb Cuba during the Cuban missile crisis, and he ran as vice president on Alabama governor George Wallace's segregationist presidential ticket in 1968 (and won 5 states). People and circumstances change, so we shall see. I have great neighbors and family who are on the other side of the political spectrum from me, but talking about some of the national political issues is really tough. Best of luck to your son.
Please don’t compare Ukraine to the greatest generation. Many Ukrainian support Nazi and wear Nazi emblems. NATO caused this stupid war by expansion towards Russia. We need to pull out of NATO and secure our borders.