#Mechanic January 5

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.

There are all types of MECHANICS.

A common theme is they possess the ability to complete complex tasks. One person who could do that was my dad.

During World War II my father Francis D Kenney (9-27-19 to 3-8-91) was a B-17 and B-24 Airplane Line Chief.

He held the rank of Master Sergeant (MSgt) was an excellent MECHANIC. He spent 6 months at Park Air College in East St. Louis, MO learning the fundamentals of engine and airplane MECHANICS. He also completed a month of school on aircraft electronics.

He spent 30 months overseas during WWII from December 1941 to May 1944 most of it in India. He supervised an 110 man squadron responsible for the maintainence, adjustment, and repair of B-17 and B-24’s.

Below is a portion of his Separation Orders that list his qualifications including his work as a supervisor of many MECHANICS. He returned to his hometown of Morristown NJ after the war.

My dad was separated from the Army Air Corp on September 30, 1945 at the age of 26. He went on to work for NJ Bell after the war and retired in 1981 after a 35 year career with them. He saved the lives of two people in 1948 in Chatham Twp. NJ and was awarded the Theodore Vail Medal

My dad attempted to instill in all three of his sons some basic lessons he learned as a MECHANIC. Sometimes I believe the lessons of MECHANIC stuck more with my brothers Pat and Tom than me. I know that is the case for point #1.

1. Follow the instructions and read the diagrams before starting a repair or adjustment.

2. Every engine needs to follow a maintenance schedule.

3. Put your tools away in the proper place after your done

MECHANICS can teach us how to live our lives especially point number two.

We all need to remember that our physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional engines need a regular maintenance schedule. We need to be the MECHANIC for our own lives.