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George F. Rodgers
George F. Rodgers
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George F. Rodgers was a good fighter pilot and served in VF-6 for all three combat cruises.
George emerged as the squadron's Poet Laureate by immortalizing memorable events and situations in
poetry. He had this natural gift of being able to see the humerous, the serious and the philosophical side of many
things and put it all in poetry.
Christmas, 1943, the squadron met with our dear friends, Frank and Ethal Hoogs, at Wailiku, Maui
for Christmas
Dinner, at which time we joined the Hoogs
family and others, in memorializing our late skipper. "Butch O'Hare.
He later participated in the 21 plane Memorial Flight of Hellcats back to Barber's Point on Dec 26,
1943.
George Rodgers, left and sitting on the running board of the
old carryall on Punnene is Bobby Neel
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In Dec 1944 George managed to fall on me when we accidently slipped on a wet deck while "horsing
around". This clowning incident put me out of commission for a while, as the incident cause a compound fracture
of my right collar bone which during this time, George took care of some of my flying responsibilities. Good naturedly,
we never let each other forget the incident.
In his younger days, George had been an Altar boy in his church; then during the War, he served as
an Altar boy for the funeral of one of our young pilots, (Ens. James Lee Oliver, who lost his life in a training
accident). He served again as the attending Altar boy for the Requiem Mass held for him. George was so moved that
he composed the poetry used in that service.
IN MEMORIAM
Ensign James L. Oliver
9 June, 1944
"Greater love than this no man hath for a friend"
Death will come some quiet hour
In beloved shades, and unrevealed
Wait patiently in whatever field.
O Spring or Summer bright with flower;
And you may meet her half afraid
Of newborn love and journey far,
Or countless other modes that are
The realm beyond where souls are laid.
And think, when evening struggles free
Of distant hills and mist enshrouded sod,
You will have spoken with a God
You've waited all your life to see,
George F. Rodgers
George Rodgers with the 5th Division of VF-6 on INDEPENDENCE
(CVL-22), Marcus Island Raid Sept `43
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Unfortunately due to poor heath, it became necessary of him to be transferred to a hospital ship
right at the end of the war.
After George regained his health he served in the post war Navy Reserve program and then in BUAIR
among other things he became one of the writers of the "GRAMPAW PETIBONE" aviation safety program that
appeared in NAVAL AVIATION NEWS . This beloved character with his salty comments and timely observations was the
backbone of this important safety program.
- Hersch Pahl
Granpaw Petibone
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Grampaw Pettibone Passing the Word: Safety!!
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Grampaw Pettibone as he attempted to deal with a potential
"Belly Flopper" trying to land without wheels.
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"For those who fought for it...
freedom has a flavor the protected will never know!"
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