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Virgil Westdale

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When the 442nd returned home, Virgil Westdale was left behind due some beef the 1st Sergeant had with him. When he finally left Germany to travel to France for transport home, he was bunked for a night in a miserable unheated building. He and a friend decided to set out in the night to seek food and warmer shelter in the German town. (7:36)

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Don't let a dictator take over your country. Virgil Westdale had returned from the European theater after the Allies put an end to one such dictator and he began a successful career as a scientist with 25 patents to his credit. (5:05)

Sean Baerman

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Sean Baerman was an Army brat whose father was in armor and whose grandfather was at the Battle of the Bulge. He always wanted to fly and became a cadet at the Air Force Academy. As he began fight training, he knew two things. He wanted to fly fighters and he wanted a single seat aircraft. (5:23)

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While he was still in training as a fighter pilot, Sean Baerman watched 9/11 unfold on TV. He knew this event would define his future career. His ship was the A-10, affectionately known as the Warthog. His first taste of war was on the ground, though, on temporary attached duty as an Air Liaison Officer. (6:08)

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It was a beautiful country, Afghanistan, the foothills of the Himalayas. It was a shame there had to be a war there. A-10 pilot Sean Baerman was ready. All his training and dedication had led up to the moment of his first combat mission. (7:29)

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No longer a wingman, A-10 pilot Sean Baerman was in Germany becoming familiar with upgrades on the aircraft. Then he was tapped for a second tour in Afghanistan. Things had changed in just a year. (6:05)

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During his second tour in Afghanistan, A-10 pilot Sean Baerman's unit was paired with a National Guard unit from Louisiana. Hijinks ensued and some pilots were sent home. After that tour it was Korea, where he got some flack for flying too close to the DMZ. (6:01)

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Not flying for a few years made Sean Baerman ache to get back at it. He managed to get qualified again and had one last tour in Afghanistan. To his relief, the Rules of Engagement had loosened up. (4:41)

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Sean Baerman would try to steer cadets to fighters during his time as an instructor at the Academy. One of the most satisfying of all his experiences in the Air Force was flying missions with some of his former students. (5:08)

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The A-10s had teeth at Moody Air Force Base. Sean Baerman wound down his career there in the unit that adopted the Flying Tigers heritage from WWII. By then we were in the COVID era, which was very frustrating to him and to others to this day. (4:34)