The Silver King's War

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This episode is the epilogue for the first arc of "Dearest Ones," the letters that Stanley wrote to his family throughout his war.  The Silver King's War creator, Michael G. Sievers, discusses the writing and the first three training assignments in his father's Second World War start as a U. S. Army Air Corps Cadet. 

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This episode (first published to honor our hero, The Silver King, for Veteran's Day 2021) is Part Five of Stanley's Letters, "Dearest Ones," from pilot school in Lakeland, Florida.  His final weeks have been a furious blend of fear and dedication.  His drive to be an Air Corps pilot comes down to a final ten-hour check ride.

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This episode (published on the 77th anniversary of The Silver King's first bombing mission: ordnance depot, Homburg, Germany) is Part Four of Stanley's Letters, "Dearest Ones," from pilot school in Lakeland, Florida.  He's counting the days to complete his training and take the ten-hour check ride to determine his readiness to be an Air Corps pilot.   The Silver King, 19, is confident and flies his first solo on April 22, one day before he turns twenty.  

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This episode is Part Three of Stanley's Letters, "Dearest Ones," from pilot school in Lakeland, Florida. Our hero ("The fellows call me The Silver King"), is one of five students assigned to Captain Hayes.  The training is intense and Stanley loves every minute in the air.  The ten-hour check ride looms as he has nine hours and eleven minutes of flying time. His writing reveals a warrior on the rise.

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This episode is Part Two of Stanley's letters, "Dearest Ones,"  from pilot school in Lakeland, Florida. The U. S. Army Air Corps demand for pilots required private facilities to train their hopeful fliers.  The Lodwick School of Aeronautics is a beautiful campus that opened in 1939.  Our hero, working hard, has found a timely slice of personal paradise.

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This episode is Part One of Stanley's letters, "Dearest Ones," from pilot school in Lakeland, Florida.  He arrived there in early April to begin an intense month of training to fly for the nation's Army Air Corps.  This facility, The Lodwick School of Aeronautics, is a private company under contract to train air cadets.  Every cadet's aim: to be an Air Corps pilot.  The wash out rate is high.  The work requires every warrior's full attention. 

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This episode (published on the 31st anniversary of The Silver King's 1990 funeral) is Part Four and conclusion of Stanley's  letters, "Dearest Ones," from Maxwell Field in Montgomery, Alabama.  He's completing pre-flight training and is ready to test his talent and training in pilot school.  His next posting is the Lodwick School of Aeronautics in Lakeland, Florida.  The Army Air Corps' demand for pilots require private training programs to fill its bombers.

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This episode is Part Three of Stanley's letters, "Dearest Ones," from pre-flight training at Maxwell Field in Montgomery, Alabama.  His proximity to Birmingham allows family visits and Ida Mae's home cooking.  The hard work of training keeps The Silver King busy, tired and optimistic.

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This episode is Part Two of Stanley's letters, "Dearest Ones," from the Army Air Corps' Maxwell Field in Montgomery, Alabama. The Silver King will spend two months, shared over four episodes, in pre-flight training before his ride to pilot school in Lakeland, Florida.

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This episode is Part One of The Silver King's letters, "Dearest Ones," from Maxwell Field in Montgomery, Alabama.  Stanley's a car ride from his family in Birmingham and hopeful about visits home.  Now he begins the rigorous work over nine weeks, shared over four episodes, of pre-flight training for pilot school.  His excitement is palpable as aviator dreams take shape and he writes sixty days of "Dearest Ones" missives.  

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