He was born on June 12th, 1921. Now think about that, 105 years ago. Commercial radio was in its infancy. Long distance travel was mainly by rail or ship. Communication was done by letters, limited landline telephone or cables (telegrams). Air conditioning in movie theaters was still years away, infant mortality was still a vast concern, as was infantile paralysis, or polio. But George Waters, subject to all that, came into this World and thrived. He completed his schooling, met and married a lovely young lady named Mavis, who lived with him up until a few years ago. It was in 1941, when Pearl Harbor hit, and George (known as Truman back then); went on to enlist and place himself in harm’s way, just like millions of other young men from across The Country, in taking on enemies in Asia/Pacific and Europe. George was just 20, which compared to young men the same age today, whose main aim is to play video games with no thought for tomorrow; Mr. Waters was prompted with a task, to keep Our Country from being overrun by governments and armies beset with evil intentions in wanting to rule The World, and take away personal freedoms. George trained for years in all aspects of the B-17 bomber following his enlistment after Pearl Harbor, and while stateside training, he was lucky to have his wife, often at his own expense, be near his training area.
I’ve known Mr. Waters for five years now, and soon after meeting him, and reading his book on his wartime experiences, it’s amazing that he’s actually made it to 100 and beyond. Incredibly, just until last year, George was three years younger than the oldest Veteran at the Lone Star Honor Flight Veterans Group, or 105. Mr. Bob Putnam would have been 108 years on June 12th as well, and he was treasured by our group, just as Mr. Waters continues to be.
When George was shot down over Germany flying in his bomber from his base in Italy, he was extremely lucky in multiple cases. First off, a six-foot ball turret gunner like Mr. Waters, a job reserved for airmen who were like 5’5”, had George stuffed into the space, like a dozen college students crammed into a VW bug. There was simply no room to move or get comfortable. Imagine having your knees stationed next to your shoulders for eight hours or whatever length the mission time was, then you had to deal with the German fighters trying to shoot you down. And what if your bomber was hit, BTGs did not wear parachutes, but rather a harness, with a chute stationed nearby; and you can imagine if your plane was going down, the time needed to get out of the ball turret, get to your parachute, and put it on. Mr. Waters was able to get out of his turret, dawn the parachute, and jump, but he was captured by German civilians and turned over to the authorities.
The hard facts of that jump, which were literally life changing, and then knowing that fellow airmen who were in less confined areas of the bomber, who did not survive. For a young soldier in his early 20s, it’s devastating, and it mostly hits you mostly post conflict (or the small hours of the night), because most of the efforts at the time, and during your confinement are concentrated on just surviving to the next day.
As compared to other captives, airmen were treated just a little better, because Hermann Goring, the leader of Germany’s Air Force, was an airman during the First World War, and had some heart for the warriors of the sky. Still, it was no picnic, and as conditions deteriorated late in the war, with rations coming few and far between, and the Russians closing in on the Eastern front that was shrinking day after day, his guards started him on a march to the west. To the Germans, the horror stories of the Soviets, who wanted revenge for the German slaughter of their countrymen, took out their frustrations on German women and the troops, which meant that surrendering to Russian troops became unthinkable. Mr. Waters and his fellow captives were marched west, past the ruins of Berlin, until just before they met Allied forces, his German guards surrendered to him.
It was then that George had more candy bars than he could eat, and he was still in good enough shape to see that his fellow airmen had their fill. During a recent gathering of Lake Conroe area Veterans, Mr. Water spoke of one of his fellow captives, Mr. Emil ‘Hamil’ Cornet, who he mentioned in his book “No Thought for Tomorrow,” which tells Mr. Waters’ story. He sought out Cornet 33 years later, but Hamil had passed away. George was able to meet other fellow prisoners throughout the years, and some of the news pieces are in his book.
Mr. Waters religiously attends the Lone Star Honor Flight Veterans Group, or 105, and on his June 12th birthday, he was treated with cake, and the praise of the Veterans of the group, family, friends, and well-wishers. Local police, constables, sheriffs, and county, emergency, and state officials, all lined up in a row of honor to pass in review and pay their respects to a World War II hero. Soon after, at his residence, Worthington Manor in Conroe, George was treated to another birthday party, again with family, veterans, friends, and fellow residents, all who enjoyed the cake, ice cream, and wishing George a Happy 105th birthday.
If you want a copy of his book, please email me. ruben@montgomerycountynews.net
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Publisher: Veteran of the Week