He’s 101 and still flying high this Memorial Day weekend. World War II veteran Oscar Masters took part in a special honor flight on Saturday at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport.
Masters, an Arnold, Missouri resident, is still sharing stories from the skies decades after serving as a co-pilot in the Army Air Corps.
On Saturday, he reflected on his time flying B-17 and B-29 bombers during World War II.
“I always like to fly,” Masters said. “I told the pilot, any flight you land on the ground and get out, it’s a good flight.”
While flights like these are rare for the Masters now, flying missions during the war was once part of everyday life.
“When we got on the B-17s, some of the crews had heated suits,” he said. “Unfortunately, we were one of the crews that didn’t have heated suits. So we wore five or six sets of old pants, and that big, cheap leather, and big boots. We made it, but it was cold.”
Despite the harsh conditions, Masters said the camaraderie and discipline of the crews kept them going.
“We had a system,” he explained. “Every 20 minutes, we had an oxygen check. Everybody on the crew called in, so we knew they still had oxygen.”
Now, instead of flying bombers, Masters spends his time bowling — and continuing to tell the stories he lived through.
“I don’t believe in sitting,” he said. “I like to keep moving.”