American WW II Dive-Bomber Pilot
goes peacefully down at 91, at home
The Raccoon recently heard of 1st Congo member Peggy Laz Recknagel's
father, WW II Curtis SB2C dive-bomber pilot, passing away at age 91.
A man who flew in the Pacific theater against the Japanese
in those 1940s war years, Peggy's dad
- Lt. LeRoy Lester Laz of Aurora IL -
was the sort of war hero we children of that generation
lionized. They were super brave men who flew planes off
aircraft carriers to reach their targets, usually battleships
of "The Land of the Rising Sun".
These singular pilots flew their planes loaded with ship-sinking heavy explosives,
and when reaching their targets, from then low altitudes,
aimed their aircraft head-on into blazing defensive Japanese gunfire
off the decks of these targeted ships
or from Japanese fighter planes
gyrating against the US dive-bomber planes. I saw it at the movie house
here in Waukesha WI.
Yes, I saw plenty of Remember Pearl Harbor movies of war aerial action like this
at the old 'Bucket of Blood' Waukesha Avon Theater
during my young 1940s years.
The aviators who carried out these missions in the second world war
had us aghast kids thoroughly impressed, pausing of necessity in our popcorn-eating,
eyes wide.
A website on the decorated Lt. Laz is
Aviator Laz is shown in later years
after the war, standing next to his Curtis dive-bomber.
The Raccoon looks forward to learning more from our 1st Congo churchmate
Peggy about her father.
The Laz American flag now stands at half-mast at his house
said Peggy's Email:
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From Peggy last Sunday:
"Just wanted to let you all know that my Dad, "D" as we called him,
died Friday afternoon during his afternoon nap. He was 91 years old.
He had been doing very well, actually, despite a bad hip- so this came as
quite a shock to all of us.
D. was able to live out the last 60 years in the home where I grew up in
Aurora, IL.
He was and will always be our hero and will be missed more than I can ever
express.
Thanks for your support along the way.
Love,
Peggy
PS: The attached pictures are of D. by the plane he flew in WWII, and the
flag at our home in Aurora- now at half staff...
--
Peggy Laz Recknagel"
Peggy Laz Recknagel"
.......
DIXIE
A MEDLEY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWVgLLnGaWs
.......
Tactical Squad on the Five Points
Executes Serious Search Warrant
Date: Tuesday July 1st, 2014
seen from our Odd Fellows (Putney) top floor windows:
At 5:45 AM Dee and I saw a bright flash of light
coupled with a loud bang.
I was awakening in the bedroom, Dee was alreadyawake up here
in the office at the computer, checking the overnight news.
We at first thought it was an extremely close lightning strike
for the weather had included branch-blowing thunderstorms
and high winds that previous night.
"WHAT WAS THAT?"
I jumped up and sped to the front windows overlooking
the Five Points intersection below us.
I grabbed my Nikon P-520 digital camera.
There I saw uniformed, helmeted and shielded
'soldiers' positioned at the street curb outside the door to the upstairs apartments
next to the Healing Forest art studio.
At least one officer was clearly wearing orange ear plug(s). See photo enlarged above.
Several police vehicles as well as this Waukesha Police-labeled armored truck
and two evidence trucks were on site. No sirens or alarms were sounded. It appeared to be a
secret stealth operation.
Later inquiry of Berg Management, overseers of the building
determined that Berg had been notified by the police that they were going to
execute a surprise search warrant.
Our conjecture is that the armed forces keeping Waukesha safe
used a stun or flash grenade - the flash and big noise we heard, therefore -
to disorient and apprehend the perpetrator or peretrators without deadly shots
being fired. Battle-ready, however, the cops packed assault rifles and shields.
Looking flash grenade up on the net we found this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M84_stun_grenade
Police emerged from the apartments door with a shirtless man in custody. He appeared
to have received 'service'.
Near the conclusion of the approximately hour-long event
a flak-jacketed member of this tactical unit
emerged with a long pole from the apartments door.
(See red arrow)
Evidence gatherers then worked upstairs.
We speculated - DRUGS; STUN GRENADE.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y3DwC-fph0
DUE TO THE SURREPTITIOUS NATURE OF THIS SORT OF POLICE WORK, WE MAY NEVER KNOW
FOR CERTAIN WHAT WENT ON...
The local newsaper in its often amusing daily Police Blotter column
does not apprise the reading populace of raids such as this.
They may not know of them,
Tom Hekkers of the downtown blog
'TAKIN IT TO THE STREETS'
(see the internet)
and owner of the renovated Israel Studebaker garage
wrote to the raccoon following the raid event:
- reprinted with his permission -
David, It's surprising/ NOT surprising that Police actions with the use of the
Tactical Unit, like that which you witnessed, does NOT even receive a mention in
the local paper.
There have been several of these "use of force" incidents in recent
years.
Thankfully YOU are there to capture.
It's common knowledge that drug dealing in downtown, and Maple Ave in
particular, was prevalent when we first moved into our West Main Street
loft.
One night while entertaining guests, the tactical unit made a drug bust
next door with the armored vehicle racing to the scene, dozens of cops with
shields, assault rifles and dogs converged on our neighbor.
Witnessing this, our out-of-town guests were aghast while we continued as
if nothing was happening.
"Living in downtown Waukesha, you get used to this!"
Tom
.......
To our family and friends
we wish you all a Happy 4th of July weekend.
For those who don't know,
have not been here
we are behind the American flag, photo above,
in the 1882 Putney Odd Fellows building.
Despite occasional upsetting events
we enjoy living downtown
and feel safe here.
The Putney Odd Fellows is splendid.
Life anywhere, especially downtown Waukesha,
is a metamorphosis
and here
the trajectory is UP.
Send any comments on any subject to
WAUKESHA SEWER RACCOON NEWS
No. 311
308 South St. Waukesha WI 53186
We like aiding the struggling US Postal Service
