60 years ago today, 10-JAN-1953, a B-29 Superfortress, commanded by Capt Arthur Heise, was shot down while bombing the Anju Marshaling Yards in North Korea. Capt. Heise assured the safe exit of his entire crew, then stayed with the crippled giant until it crashed into a mountain. All eleven crew members survived thanks to the heroic leadership of their Captain and friend and all eleven were captured and MIA until the end of the war. Among those POWs was a 22 year old airman known as "Shorty".
They called him ‘Shorty’ because he was. At barely five-foot-four, it was a natural nickname that he never resented; in fact, he embraced it fondly.
Shorty had been small in size his whole life but, even as a kid, he never let it hold him back. His favorite sport was basketball and he earned the respect of the big kids with his feisty, competitive spirit and a nasty hook shot!
This tenacious, typically Nordic attitude toward life followed Shorty into the Air Force, where he was well liked and respected for his integrity, generosity and an amazing work ethic. It was these characteristics, supported by the hand of God (though he didn’t know it at the time), that enabled Shorty to survive being shot down over North Korea on that frozen January night. Severely wounded, he spent the first four months in solitary confinement at a camp on the North Korean/Chinese border.
Subjected to inhumane interrogations, malnourished and imprisoned in a box too small for him to either stretch out or stand up, Shorty considered his small size to have been a blessing in these conditions and the little bit of watery rice he received each day, he found to be perfect, because his jaw, broken from shrapnel, wouldn’t have allowed him to eat anything more substantial. He later applied Genesis 50:20 to this situation, quoting: “What they intended for evil, God intended for good.” After being transfered from solitary confinement, Shorty spent the rest of the war in the general population of prisoners at Camp #2 Annex near the Yalu River.
Shorty was never shy to let you know what he thought about something. Gruff and un-filtered, he was more concerned with being honest than with watering-down the message. This blunt honesty meant that you would always know where you stood with him; nothing was left to doubt, even if it hurt.
Ironically, his was one of the purest examples of unconditional love I have ever known. Shorty’s love for his family was never based on whether or not he agreed with you. He could leave you smarting from his rebuke, then demonstrate through some thoughtful act, how he’d always be there, ready to encourage and support you. If he did realize that he’d offended someone, he would, in his own unassuming way, apologize as unconditionally as he loved.
Though always an unwaveringly moral man, Shorty didn’t realize a personal relationship with his Lord until later in life, when his faith took on and benefited from the same strong character that his creator had used to bring him through so many trials and sufferings.
Shorty passed on to be with his Savior on April 15, 1993, at the age of 65. During his short lifetime, he touched so many, many lives with his generosity and thoroughly un-prejudiced love for people, particularly those whose lives he considered to be more difficult than his own. He valued hard work, honesty and loyalty; and he rewarded these generously. One of Shorty’s employees summed it up when he said “I have never had to work so hard for anyone, and I have never been treated so well by anyone.”
To his friends, he was known as Shorty, Bob or maybe even Storky, but to a privileged few of us, Robert K. Storkson was Papa…my Papa, my hero.
Dear Jesus, please tell Papa "Hey" from me. Tell him how much I miss him; how much I love and admire him; and how much I look forward to seeing him again someday. Amen
PDS
10-JAN-2013
60 years ago today, 10-JAN-1953, a B-29 Superfortress, commanded by Capt Arthur Heise, was shot down while bombing the Anju Marshaling Yards in North Korea. Capt. Heise assured the safe exit of his entire crew, then stayed with the crippled giant until it crashed into a mountain. All eleven crew members survived thanks to the heroic leadership of their Captain and friend and all eleven were captured and MIA until the end of the war. Among those POWs was a 22 year old airman known as "Shorty".
They called him ‘Shorty’ because he was. At barely five-foot-four, it was a natural nickname that he never resented; in fact, he embraced it fondly.
Shorty had been small in size his whole life but, even as a kid, he never let it hold him back. His favorite sport was basketball and he earned the respect of the big kids with his feisty, competitive spirit and a nasty hook shot!
This tenacious, typically Nordic attitude toward life followed Shorty into the Air Force, where he was well liked and respected for his integrity, generosity and an amazing work ethic. It was these characteristics, supported by the hand of God (though he didn’t know it at the time), that enabled Shorty to survive being shot down over North Korea on that frozen January night. Severely wounded, he spent the first four months in solitary confinement at a camp on the North Korean/Chinese border.
Subjected to inhumane interrogations, malnourished and imprisoned in a box too small for him to either stretch out or stand up, Shorty considered his small size to have been a blessing in these conditions and the little bit of watery rice he received each day, he found to be perfect, because his jaw, broken from shrapnel, wouldn’t have allowed him to eat anything more substantial. He later applied Genesis 50:20 to this situation, quoting: “What they intended for evil, God intended for good.” After being transfered from solitary confinement, Shorty spent the rest of the war in the general population of prisoners at Camp #2 Annex near the Yalu River.
Shorty was never shy to let you know what he thought about something. Gruff and un-filtered, he was more concerned with being honest than with watering-down the message. This blunt honesty meant that you would always know where you stood with him; nothing was left to doubt, even if it hurt.
Ironically, his was one of the purest examples of unconditional love I have ever known. Shorty’s love for his family was never based on whether or not he agreed with you. He could leave you smarting from his rebuke, then demonstrate through some thoughtful act, how he’d always be there, ready to encourage and support you. If he did realize that he’d offended someone, he would, in his own unassuming way, apologize as unconditionally as he loved.
Though always an unwaveringly moral man, Shorty didn’t realize a personal relationship with his Lord until later in life, when his faith took on and benefited from the same strong character that his creator had used to bring him through so many trials and sufferings.
Shorty passed on to be with his Savior on April 15, 1993, at the age of 65. During his short lifetime, he touched so many, many lives with his generosity and thoroughly un-prejudiced love for people, particularly those whose lives he considered to be more difficult than his own. He valued hard work, honesty and loyalty; and he rewarded these generously. One of Shorty’s employees summed it up when he said “I have never had to work so hard for anyone, and I have never been treated so well by anyone.”
To his friends, he was known as Shorty, Bob or maybe even Storky, but to a privileged few of us, Robert K. Storkson was Papa…my Papa, my hero.
Dear Jesus, please tell Papa "Hey" from me. Tell him how much I miss him; how much I love and admire him; and how much I look forward to seeing him again someday. Amen
PDS
10-JAN-2013
They called him ‘Shorty’ because he was. At barely five-foot-four, it was a natural nickname that he never resented; in fact, he embraced it fondly.
Shorty had been small in size his whole life but, even as a kid, he never let it hold him back. His favorite sport was basketball and he earned the respect of the big kids with his feisty, competitive spirit and a nasty hook shot!
This tenacious, typically Nordic attitude toward life followed Shorty into the Air Force, where he was well liked and respected for his integrity, generosity and an amazing work ethic. It was these characteristics, supported by the hand of God (though he didn’t know it at the time), that enabled Shorty to survive being shot down over North Korea on that frozen January night. Severely wounded, he spent the first four months in solitary confinement at a camp on the North Korean/Chinese border.
Subjected to inhumane interrogations, malnourished and imprisoned in a box too small for him to either stretch out or stand up, Shorty considered his small size to have been a blessing in these conditions and the little bit of watery rice he received each day, he found to be perfect, because his jaw, broken from shrapnel, wouldn’t have allowed him to eat anything more substantial. He later applied Genesis 50:20 to this situation, quoting: “What they intended for evil, God intended for good.” After being transfered from solitary confinement, Shorty spent the rest of the war in the general population of prisoners at Camp #2 Annex near the Yalu River.
Shorty was never shy to let you know what he thought about something. Gruff and un-filtered, he was more concerned with being honest than with watering-down the message. This blunt honesty meant that you would always know where you stood with him; nothing was left to doubt, even if it hurt.
Ironically, his was one of the purest examples of unconditional love I have ever known. Shorty’s love for his family was never based on whether or not he agreed with you. He could leave you smarting from his rebuke, then demonstrate through some thoughtful act, how he’d always be there, ready to encourage and support you. If he did realize that he’d offended someone, he would, in his own unassuming way, apologize as unconditionally as he loved.
Though always an unwaveringly moral man, Shorty didn’t realize a personal relationship with his Lord until later in life, when his faith took on and benefited from the same strong character that his creator had used to bring him through so many trials and sufferings.
Shorty passed on to be with his Savior on April 15, 1993, at the age of 65. During his short lifetime, he touched so many, many lives with his generosity and thoroughly un-prejudiced love for people, particularly those whose lives he considered to be more difficult than his own. He valued hard work, honesty and loyalty; and he rewarded these generously. One of Shorty’s employees summed it up when he said “I have never had to work so hard for anyone, and I have never been treated so well by anyone.”
To his friends, he was known as Shorty, Bob or maybe even Storky, but to a privileged few of us, Robert K. Storkson was Papa…my Papa, my hero.
Dear Jesus, please tell Papa "Hey" from me. Tell him how much I miss him; how much I love and admire him; and how much I look forward to seeing him again someday. Amen
PDS
10-JAN-2013
