TYLER, Texas (KLTV) – A Tyler man is sharing the story of his freedom fighting father.
“Growing up, I knew that he was a B-17 pilot, and he was in World War II. That’s it. That’s all I knew,” Tom Ingram said.
Ingram’s dad, John, served in the 8th Air Force. A member of the greatest generation, who at the age of 18, left home to save the world. It’s a part of his dad’s life that Tom never knew much about.
“He came home and put everything away in his footlocker and didn’t talk about it anymore,” Ingram said.
After his dad’s death in 2008, that footlocker became a treasure chest to Tom, who for the first time got to see and touch pieces of his dad’s past.
“He was basically pretty much a pack rat,” Ingram said. “He just took everything. Most of the people said they had to give it back. I guess he didn’t turn it in.”
The items in the footlocker have since turned Ingram’s Tyler apartment into a museum. At their grandparent’s house, Tom’s brother also found letters written by his dad to his parents back home.
“You can almost feel him growing up,” Ingram said about the letters. “He started signing them with,” keep me flying. Love, son.’”
“Keep Me Flying!” is the title of the book Tom put together using the letters and an interview his dad gave in his 70s about his time in the service. It’s a book Tom said his dad always talked about writing – but never did. A book about the highs and lows.
“He had a hard time talking about the war,” Ingram said.
Tom Ingram and his father.(Tom Ingram)
This report is as much about Tom Ingram as it is about his dad, whose life story could have just faded away, if not for his son.
“I wish he (dad) was alive to see this,” he said. “I think he would have liked it. I really do.”
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