VALOUR of the HIGHEST ORDER DAKOTA FZ692 the Andrew Mynarski Story D-Day Veteran & More! 1943 BERLIN BLITZ New Virtual Reality Experience
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MAY/JUNE 2019 CANADIAN WARPLANE HERITAGE MUSEUM VALOUR OF THE HIGHEST ORDER DAKOTA FZ692 The Andrew Mynarski Story D-Day Veteran & More! 1943 BERLIN BLITZ New Virtual Reality Experience Ages 13+ Experience Runs Until August 31, 2019 President & Chief Executive Officer David G. Rohrer Vice President – External Client Services Manager Safety Coordinator Operations Cathy Dowd Bill Craig Sandra Price Curator Controller Vice President – Finance Erin Napier Brenda Shelley Ernie Doyle Flight Coordinator Education Services Manager Chief Engineer Laura Hassard-Moran Howard McLean Jim Van Dyk Retail Manager Donor Services Manager Marketing Manager Shawn Perras Sally Melnyk Al Mickeloff Volunteer Services Building Maintenance Food & Beverage Manager Administrator Manager Matt Bronowicki Toni McFarlane Jason Pascoe Board of Directors David G. Rohrer, Chair David Ippolito Robert Fenn Christopher Freeman, Ex Officio John O’Dwyer Patrick Farrell Sandy Thomson, Ex Officio Drew Hamblin Art McCabe Bruce MacRitchie, Ex Officio Barbara Maisonneuve David Williams Nestor Yakimik, Ex Officio Stay Connected Subscribe to our eFlyer Canadian Warplane warplane.com/mailing-list-signup.aspx Heritage Museum Read Flightlines online 9280 Airport Road warplane.com/about/flightlines.aspx Mount Hope, Ontario L0R 1W0 Like us on Facebook facebook.com/Canadian WarplaneHeritageMuseum Phone 905-679-4183 Toll free 1-877-347-3359 (FIREFLY) Follow us on Twitter Fax 905-679-4186 @CWHM Email [email protected] Web warplane.com Follow Us on Instagram instagram.com/ canadianwarplaneheritagemuseum MAY/JUNE 2019 Watch videos on YouTube youtube.com/CWHMuseum CANADIAN WARPLANE HERITAGE MUSEUM Shop our Gift Shop warplane.com/gift-shop.aspx Volunteer Editor: Bill Cumming Production Manager: Al Mickeloff Staff Editor: Emily Millar Flightlines is the official publication of the Canadian VALOUR OF THE HIGHEST ORDER DAKOTA FZ692 Warplane Heritage Museum. It is a benefit of membership The Andrew Mynarski Story D-Day Veteran & More! and is published six times per year (Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/ Cover: June, July/Aug, Sept/Oct, Nov/Dec). Dakota FZ692. DEREK MICKELOFF Readers are encouraged to submit articles and photos. All contributions published with the author’s name is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinions Printed in Canada by and policies of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. Responsibility for accuracy rests solely with the author. ©2019 Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. All rights reserved. News Welcome – Note from 75th Anniversaries Sandra The memory lives on! 6 June 2019 marks the start of the 75th I am so honoured and anniversary of the D-Day landings and the Battle of Normandy extremely proud to say and with it, a momentous occasion to celebrate peace, liberty and that I have been part of reconciliation. On 1 June 2019, the Canadian Warplane Heritage the Canadian Warplane Museum is presenting the D-Day 75th Anniversary Gala. The Heritage Museum for about centrepiece for this event will be our Dakota FZ692/C-GRSB, which a year now… and what a year it has been! has been refinished during this past winter into 437 Squadron I couldn’t have asked for anything better at this markings that it wore during the latter days of World War II. This point in my career than to work for such an aircraft is a true D-Day veteran; participating in the Allied aerial awesome organization and with such wonderful campaign attached to 233 Squadron RAF, dropping troops behind people. My thought when I first applied and was enemy lines the morning of 6 June 1944. In this issue, we look at offered this role was, “What the heck do I know the Dakota’s career after it returned to Canada following the war. about planes?”, but I quickly learned that there is Serving with distinction primarily in a search and rescue role with so much more to our Museum. the RCAF, it was retired from military service in 1973. The Museum is planning a Dedication Ceremony of Dakota FZ692/C-GRSB I have great appreciation for our absolutely on 6 July 2019 during Air Force Day, at which time we will also amazing volunteers that are happy to share their celebrate the 75th Anniversary of 437 “Husky” Squadron RCAF. stories and experiences, often bringing tears to my eyes while listening to the many sacrifices that Elsewhere in this issue, we look at an event on the evening of 12 June they or their loved ones have made. There is the 1944. This year is the 75th Anniversary of the events leading up to wonderful sound of happy children in classes the awarding of the Victoria Cross to Andrew Mynarski. This story in throughout the hangar who are so excited to Flightlines is the first-hand account as told by F/O Pat Brophy himself, listen and learn. There are our extremely talented Andrew Mynarski’s friend. Mynarski attempted to release Brophy engineers that respect and treat the aircraft like from the jammed rear turret of their burning Lancaster but was not the true historical gems that they are. able to extract Brophy. Brophy survived the crash of the Lancaster to tell this story, but Mynarski would die as a result of wounds sustained Kudos to my dedicated co-workers who in the fire. The story was first published in Reader’s Digest in 1965 constantly amaze me in how they keep our and is presented here, with permission, in its entirety. This year, Museum running at full capacity every day. CWH’s Lancaster will commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the I have learned so much from each of them events leading up to Andrew Mynarski’s Victoria Cross. and will continue to challenge myself every day to learn more. I am truly honoured to be a part From May until the end of the summer, the Museum once again of Team CWHM, giving special thanks to Dave will enter into a very busy period. The support of the membership and Pam for picking me! is required to ensure the success of all planned activities and events. Please become involved with the happenings around the Museum With that I will end with my commitment to each and plan to attend many of the events. And of course, we welcome of you - “Alone we can do so little, together your suggestions and comments about each issue of Flightlines. we can do so much!” Bill Cumming, Volunteer Editor Thank you, [email protected] Sandra Price Vice President – Operations Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum Congrats to the AGM Award Winners Chris Freeman (M) and Dave Rohrer (R) presented the Alan Ness Memorial Award to Larry Vernon - “Presented in recognition of an individual/group for service above and beyond what can normally be expected of a volunteer member.” Additional presentations included: A B A. Chris Freeman (L) and Dave Rohrer (R) presented the Douglas MacRitchie Memorial Award to Paul Gilbert - “Presented for outstanding skill and contribution to maintaining and preserving aviation heritage through restoration, maintenance and care.” B. Dave Rohrer (R) presented the Allan Shelley Award to Colin Lindsay - “Presented to an outstanding Tour Guide/ Duty Day volunteer who has represented the museum and its mission through their exemplary service, professionalism and C D commitment.” C. Chris Freeman (L) and Dave Rohrer (R) present the Peter Gutowski Memorial Award to Sten Palbom - “Presented to an outstanding volunteer pilot who through exemplary skill, talent, service, commitment and camaraderie, professionally demonstrated the ability and performance required to safely showcase the vintage aircraft.” D. Chris Freeman (L) and Dave Rohrer (R) present the Albert (Al) Rowcliffe Memorial Award to Toni McFarlane - “Presented to the employee of the year DAVID HILLS in recognition of outstanding performance, superior dedication and a can-do attitude on the job throughout the past year.” 5 News The backdrop for the Gala will be newly refurbished Dakota FZ692. Each table will be entered to win a flight for 10 in that aircraft as part of the admission to the evening. AL MICKELOFF D-Day 75th Anniversary GALA D-Day 75th Anniversary - on 6 June, 1944, Allied troops consisting of Canadian, British, and American forces made history as soldiers landed on five beaches along 80 kilometres of the heavily fortified coast of France’s Normandy Region. Of the nearly 150,000 Allied troops, 14,000 were Canadians. On D-Day, Canadians suffered 1,074 casualties including 359 who were killed. “This was the first time anything like this had ever been contemplated. It was monumental in terms of the scope and size of the operation,” said Dave Rohrer, President and CEO of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. “We want to remember the service and duty and the sacrifice that’s part of our history. Nobody wants to glorify war — but there are times in history when it was the last resort and you were drawn into it. We want to make sure we don’t let this go by quietly.” The centrepiece of the D-Day commemorations is the black tie Gala dinner on June 1 at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. The Gala features the World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra - the most popular and sought after big band in the world today for both concert and swing dance engagements. With its unique jazz sound, the Glenn Miller Orchestra is considered to be one of the greatest bands of all time. The present Glenn Miller Orchestra was formed in 1956 and has been touring consistently since, playing an average of 300 live dates a year all around the world. Each Gala ticket holder will receive a pair of tickets to the June 6th Hamilton Tiger-Cats vs Toronto Argonauts football game courtesy of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats plus a chance to win a cruise for two courtesy of Celebrity Cruises.