My Uncle Noel Ballew

Those of you who come to visit Elena and I at home are always treated to a tour of the house. When I get to the study, I pick up a small die-cast model of a World War II British fighter. I proceed to proudly tell the story of my Uncle Noel Ballew who left Dallas in 1940 before the US was in World War II. He went to Canada and then to England where he earned his wings as a fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force. He fought to defend England in its darkest hour. He went up against the best pilots that the Germans had and survived. He later transferred to the US Army Air Corps and flew a P-47. He was shot down over France and a prisoner of war for some months. I'm always so proud of him and consider him a real American hero.