We Send Our Greetings
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE, AIR FORCES ESCAPE & EVASION SOCIETY +''wrn -ter 1998-99 CommunicatiOnS '76307-2501 DECEMBER 11' 1998 VOLUME I2,.-NUMBER 4 WIC]HITA FALLS, TEXAS We send our greetings . At rhis Lviidal selson qr,'ishes we send ctur best FROM THE MEMBERS OFTHE peace and for io1 AIR FORCES ESCAPE & EVASION SOCIEfi throughout the Jear hope and peace be with you alwaYs (tnstde aecuon of the four-page season's Greetlnge toldar malted in early Decembar) of the Holiday Following an AFEES tradition, folders expressing sentiments countries. season were mailed this montn to 63-2 Helperl and Fiiends in 20 he cards has been provided by Dorothy atton maintains the maillng list, which David' Fresident Dick Smith and ng of enveloPes and licking' The o have a limited knowlege of the regular basis' English language and so do not receive Communicaflons on a g5 and 53 deceased or change of address' campared to 1gg7, the tist incrudes new addresses Page 2 Leslie Atkinson tr.s. plans to attend AIR FORCES Arizona reunion ESCAPE/EVASION Leslie Atkinson, official representative in France for SOCIETY AFEES, has notified Chairman \alryh latto1 that he is recovering 1ic9ly from heart by-pass surgery Communications in October. Published Leslie says his doctor has Quarterly removed all restrictions from his activities and he WEB ADDRESS: www.cbiinlb.conr is frec to do about Volume 12 -- Number 4 DeDecember 11. 1998 CIIAIRMAN: xx*Ralph K. Patton, 5fi)0 Alden pittsburgh, pz\ Drive, t522O-1023: \ Phone: 412-3213-8570; E; ttX: 412-343_2296 PRESIDFNT: t *Richard r M. Smith, 7633 Begonia I_anc, palm Desert, Harold Rutka CAg22Il: (Winrer) ( Phone 760-34 5-2282: FAX 760-34_5_9908 VICE PRESIDI]M': to head n *Russel SAFHS s. weyland, r l 17 w. Northeast a shore l)rive, Mcllenry, IL 60050-92r l; AFEES was rcpresented at the 24th Phone (O) 8r5-459-2}'tS, (rD o 8ls_385_4378 reunion o[ the 8th TRF,ASURER: Air Force Historical **Paul Society in Cherry Hill, N.J., in mid- Il. Kenney, Apt. B, l04l North Jarnestown Road, Decatur, GA 3fi)3; Ci October. Attending were Chairman Phone 404-929-8808 IT Ralph Patton, Secretary MEMBERS}IIP & CORRESR)NDING SECRETARY: Bud t_oring and \I xt(*Clalton C. David, pond, Richard Scott, president of the 19 Oak Ridge Ilannibal, MO 63401_6-539; 5.73_221-M4l a\ RECORDING S ECRL-]' AI{Y : Pennsylvania chapter oi the 8AFHS. **Wanen E. Loring, I,O llox 284, Monument lleach, MA 02553: 50g_?59-:1146 Patton is a past dircctor and past dI OTHER DIRECTORS: president o[ the society. xJames park, as J. Goebel Jr., 650 Georgia conroe, r'xi'r3o23ffi7:4o9-zr3-2g2g A symp<xium, "Combat Creu, xxFrancis J. Jir Iashinsky, 15 Wychwurd Road, Old l,yme, CI 05371; 86n_434-2434 Member Stress . the Flight Surgeon,s *'$#Ijmnlk mi G. McDonald, l4or Brentwood Dr., Ft. collins,,co 80-521; 9'70-4|8y'.-2363 Story," *r*r*John followed the general member- C. Rucigay, l4 Ashley Dr., Ilallston l,ake, Ny 12019; 518-877_8131 II; *David ship meeting. Dr. Walt Brown, SAFHS Shoss, 5439 Castlewood Road, Dal las,'l' X j S22g _43 l(i; 2 14_36 I _0536 Td .lX director and interim editor ol'the gAF Office: 8115 preston Rd., Suite 240, Dallas, j52,25:214_3j3-161(J News, gave a scminiu, covering PERMANENT RI]PRFaSEI{TA TIVE IN FRANCE: many lacets of medical conditions trslie A.G. Atkinson, 29 rue des'lrouvres, 660O0 perpignan, France; and treatments. Phone: 011 33 04 68 55 12 63; [AX: 0l I 33 04 68 55 1273 LEGALCOTNSEL: Gil Cohen made a slide presentation R.E.T. Smith Esq., PO Box 38, Wahpeton, ND 58074; jOt_(A2_2666 of his artwork, which is being featured in C OMMUN IC ATIONS EDI'I'OR: the aft gallery of the Herilage Museum in **Larry Grauerholz, PO Rox 25O1, Wichita Falls. TX 7 63M -25O | ; 9 40 -692-67 ffi Savannah. *Class **(llass ol 20Ol of 1999 xt(,l.Class of 2fi)0 New directors elected were Stanley A. Peterson, 96BG; C. Craig Harris, 4578G, AFEES COMMUNICATIONS IS THE OFI'ICIAI, JOT'RNAI OF THE AIR and Abraham "Hap" Galfunt,34BG. At FORCES ESCAPE & EVASTON SOCIETY. ATEES TS A TAX-EXEMPT the board meeting foll<.rwing the election VETERAI{S ORGA}.lrzATroN TTNDER rRS CODE (C) ( 501 19). rr wAs of directors, Harold C. Rutka of Duluth, FOI'NDED IN 1964 AND IS CIIARTERED IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA. Minn., was elected president of the THE SOCIETY'S PURPOSE IS TO ENCOT'RAGE MEMBERS IIELPED BY TIIE society. RESISTAI.ICE ORGA}UZATIONS OR PATRIOIIC NATIONAIS TO CONTINUE Highlight of the program was EXISTING FRIENDSHIPS OR RENEW REI.ATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE !{HO a talk by Roger HELPED THEI,I DURING THEIR ESCAPE OR EVASION. Freeman, eminent British ELIGIB]LITY REQUIRES THAT ONE MUST HAVE BEEN A U.S. AIRIIIAN, historian. His topic was, "The Friendly HB HUST HAVE BEEN FORCED DOTfN BEHIND ENEUY LTNES AT.ID AVOTDED Invasion," which covered the impact of CAPTMTY, OR ESCAPED FROM CAPTIVTTY TO RETTTRN TO ATLIED U.S. servicemen in Britain during WWII. COTTITROL. The roster reflected 370 members IN ADDITION TO REGUI.AR MEI{BERSHIP, OTHER CATEGORTES OF registered, with a total of _5&l atterdees, I{EI'{BERSHIP ARE HELPER MEMBERS, Al{D I:RIEND I.IEMBERS. including wives and guests. Page 3 The warbirds fly again at Duxford Frorn the Denver (Colo.) Post' Sunday, April 26, 1998 By JAY CLARKE Miami Herald DUXFORD, England -- Look uP in the blue and you may scc a B-17 Flying Fortress, a P-51 Mustang or a P-47 Thun-derkrlt fl ying overhead. They'rc no miragcs. ThcY'rc real airplanes, a throwback ttl thc World War II days ol'the early 1940s. visitors is a B-17 Flying Fortress, the American plane downed in combat--a total Why aro thcy airborne in 1998'/ rvorkhorse of America's Eighth of 7,03 I --pays tribute to the 30,00O Thc plancs are tlyablc old Amcrican Air Force, based in England during the British-based American airmen who ijied warbirds complementing exhibits inside rvar. A B-25 Mitchell medium bomber is in World War II. the new Amcrican Air Museum here, 5o shown in Marine Corps colors. The C- "I was moved," said GarY Powell, a miles north of London. Dedicated by 47 Skytrain transport on display saw Connecticut visitor whose father Norman Queen Eliz.abeth II last August, the action on D-Day. Several fighters lrom flew in aB-17 based in Britain during museum houses mcire American military World War II, including a P-47 and a P- World War II. "The museum is aircralt than any other such tacility 51, are on exhibit, altlng with the greatest brilliantly designed." outsidc the Unitcd States. bomber of the Pacific theater, aB-29 When not flying missions to the Americans Morc than 6O.(XX) Super-lbrtress. continent during World War II, manY thc the contributcd to building oi Airclaft used in morc recent wars also crew members would visit nearbY part the museum, rvhich is ol Imperial are on display. America's first swept- Cambridge, where the Eagle Pub became Durford, the largest War Museum s'ing fighter, the F-86 Sabre that fought a popular hangout for RAF and American the aviation muscum in Europe. Among in the Korean War, is one. From the airmen. Many airmen inscribed their \\:ere actor Charlton Heston, contributors Vietnam conflict come an F-100 Super narnes, or those of their squadron, on the s'ho sen'ed a lbrmcr B-25 cre*' membcr Sabre, a F4 Phantom and a Huey ceiling there, using smoke from candles rate actor as lund-raiser co-chairman: th: helicopter. An F- I I I that flew 19 Desert or lipstick as writing instruments. Jimmy Stc$'art, u'ho fles' a number of Storm missictns sits quietly on the Link with the Past World War missions from Britain during museum floor ncrt far irom another Gulf Six years ago, when it was the tatc Gen. Jimml'Dcnlinlc of II; and War vetcran, an A-10 Thunderbolt. undergoing a $1.8 million renovation, the $'ho \\'en[ on t() Tokyo raid fame, B-52 a star owners decided to preserve that bit of command thc Eighth Air Forcc. Heston, Dominating the cntire display is a B- wartime history. The restored ceiling has Secreta4' together with U.S, Air Force 52 Stratofortress, the huge long-range become an unusual link with the wartime the op€run8 Sheila Widnall, attcnded bomber that went on line in 1955 and past. ceremony. remains in service today. Suspended "There's really nothing like it Under the American Air Museum's a a high- above it, appropriately, is U-2, anywhere," said Peter Hill, the Pub States soaring dome are 21 United flying spy plane that precipitated an manaSer. airplanes, ranging from a World War I international incident when the Soviet Though dozens of aviators put their Spad to the Gulf War's F- I I 1, as rvell as Union shot one down ovcr its territory at names on the ceiling, onlY three, to missiles, launchers, engines and even a the height oi the Cold War. The one on Hill's knowledge, have come back to piece of the Berlin Wall. Parked outside, display here flew over China on visit the pub. "Jim Mies came in one when not flying, are the Flying Fortress, reconnaissance missions for the CIA. evening, said he remembered the night he the Mustang, Thunderbolt and several Shaped like a nose cone, the $20- put his name there and went right to it." other aircraft that are privately owned but dome designed by Sir Norman million Another recent visitor was CaPt.