ROME, Georgia — The last time James McCubbin saw his vintage P51 Mustang was almost 80 years ago in the German countryside, when an enemy plane shot into its wing and he was forced to eject.
Fast forward to Wednesday, and the 101-year-old World War II veteran smiled happily as he once again watched a P51 Mustang fly at Rome’s Richard B. Russell Regional Airport.
As a member of the Eighth Air Force, McCubbin’s primary job was escorting bombers, and he was also allowed to find ground targets for strafing runs on the way back to base.
During a deep penetration strafing mission towards the end of the war, McCubbin and another pilot ran into trouble when the weather worsened. He would soon be watching his friend being shot down from the sky.
Despite the loss, McCubbin continued the mission and was on his way back to base when someone shot the wing of his plane, leaving a 2-foot diameter hole. He eventually landed off the plane and landed on land.
That was the last time he saw his plane, the Mary Al, named after his then-girlfriend. Eventually, when he returned from the war, he married a lady named Bettye, who spent the rest of her life with him.
After weeks of wandering the German countryside and subsisting on the sauerkraut of generous strangers, McCubbin was captured by the Germans and held as a prisoner of war for three months until the war ended.
During his imprisonment, he was given soup with worms and beans in it. At first he didn’t eat the worms in the soup, but towards the end he ate them as protein.
He is credited with shooting down nine German aircraft and was awarded a Purple Heart and a Distinguished Flying Cross. He had four children, nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren with his wife Bettye McCubbin. Bettye died at the Renaissance Marquis three years ago. McCubbin still lives there.
But on Wednesday he was sitting under a tent at Floyd County Airport when US Air Force Col. Craig Hutain landed a P51 Mustang to give him one last look at the plane he was flying when he left his country so many years ago served.
McCubbin was accompanied by his granddaughter Breanna Jones, granddaughter-in-law Holly Jones, 6-year-old great-grandson Cody Jones and daughter Cherie.
He said he felt good that day, especially since he didn’t have to go to work. His short term memory isn’t what it used to be, but he was happy to be around so many people.
When asked if he wanted to climb into the cockpit with the mic on, McCubbin joked that he was worried about dropping a few profanities.
Three other WWII veterans were also in attendance: James Holloway, John Karlovich, and James Griggs.
Although McCubbin was able to get a close look at the old, familiar plane, the heat of the day prevented him from climbing all the steps to get into the cockpit. But he posed for a photo with the plane and held up an older photo, completing the circle.
Olivia Morley writes for the Rome News-Tribune.
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