Dropping Off the Deck of an Aircraft Carrier

      The Apostle Paul admonished the early church, “Let me be your example. Use me as your role-model. Copy me.”

      This is so reminiscent of something I saw on The History Channel recently.

      Our country had come under attack from the Japanese islands, and Pearl Harbor lay in ruins. By now “our oriental friends” had awakened “a sleeping giant,” and vengeance and retribution were “as sure as rain.”

      Jimmy Doolittle, a well-known aviation officer, was selected to fly the first retaliatory mission against those far flung islands in the Pacific. The Japanese, meanwhile, were certain that no foreign power could touch their homeland. For over the course of thousands of years, they had never been threatened.

     But history was about to change, and America was intent to “do a new thing.”

    The American convoy was on a course towards a selected spot in the vast Pacific. However, prior to reaching the appointed site, “a enemy fishing vessel” was seen on the horizon, and it was feared that these sailors may have gotten off a radio message to the Japanese military. Therefore the mission was advanced, and eight B-25 aircraft prepared to take off on a one-way, virtually suicidal trip, for there was no coming back.

    Well readers, the B-25 was large, and was never designed to take off from an aircraft carrier. But the engines were powered up to full thrust, and the blocks were kicked away from the wheels, and an immense roar rumbled across the deck of the ship.

    And Colonel Doolittle’s lead aircraft began a ponderous roll towards the far end of the carrier. And the sailors watched in awe and held their collective breath, as Jimmy’s B-25 was seen to drop off the end of the deck, and dipped towards the ocean below.

    The now-aged copilot spoke of the moment (and does the adjective “Aged” give the outcome away)? Yes, the young bright-eyed lad survived the takeoff, and is alive today.

     But he offered a curious comment in this interview… “What would the dozens of men in the aircraft behind us have thought, if our lead plane had dropped off the deck into the ocean?”

     Every aircraft managed the feat. Every plane successfully took off. But theirs’ was a one-way mission, and they knew it, and every man among them must have thought, “Where will I sleep tonight,” or “Am I living out the last day of my life?”

    Our heroes reached their targets and dropped their bombs, and granted, their mission was just a pin prick, when all future missions are taken into account. But that single mission encouraged our nation, and wrought great fear in the bosoms of our Japanese enemy. Their nation was not invincible.

    Every B-25 among them crashed, was shot down, or crash-landed before the day ended. Some airmen died in mangled wreckage. Others were captured, and eventually executed by their enemies. A few of the planes managed to land in China.

    But my mind is called back to the lead copilot’s words, “What would my friends have thought, if our lead plane had dropped off that deck into the ocean below?”

    As leaders, we set the standard. Ours is a perilous mission. Our character, our abilities, and our sense of mission set a standard for those who we disciple; those who come behind us. We are granted awesome opportunities, and awesome responsibilities. Will we “crash and burn” on takeoff, or will we lift gracefully “off the deck?”

    There are those who watch, who look on, who depend on us, who we disciple.

     I wonder if those other seven aircraft would have attempted that desperate mission, had the lead aircraft “gone into the drink.”

     The Blue Angels and The Thunderbirds, (the Navy and Air Force aircraft acrobatic teams, respectively) have experienced many accidents over the years. In more than one case a lead pilot has miscalculated his distance from the earth, and has plowed headlong into the ground at the speed of sound; along with all his compatriots.

     For you see, the lead pilot sets the pace and standard, and his comrades place their full confidence in that lead officer. And the proximity and speed of these aircraft prevent them from escaping the same fate at their leader.

    We have an awesome responsibility and ministry to perform and there are those who come behind us. How are we influencing them? How are we disillusioning them? Will our fate, positive or negative, be their fate as well?

    We must not fail the task that God has entrusted to us.

 

By William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from "Unconventional Devotions" Copyright 2005