Vol. 31, No. 3 SECOND AIR DIVISION ASSOCIATION Fall 1992 Mission Accomplished! The Flight of the Liberator "Diamond Lil" Across the Atlantic by D.J. Hastings, Memorial Trust of the 2nd Air Division USAAF Since our arrival at Norwich on June 10th I have been asked many times just what it was like to fly in a 51-year-old Liberator across the Atlantic, and the answer must be, "interesting, challenging, exciting; and with the Confederate Air Force, great fun"... for with the Con- federate Air Force there are two main things that make it enjoyable. Firstly, Diamond Lil is well maintained and has thousands of man hours spent on her each year to keep this grand old lady in flying trim; and secondly, you are flying with a crew of great experience. David Hughes, for example, as Senior Aircraft Com- mander is a senior captain with Delta Airlines. Ray Krottinger, the other Com- mander, has many years of flying behind him with hundreds of hours on Diamond Lil. Al Stricklin, the third pilot, is also well experienced as well as being our Senior Navigator. Our three Flight Engineers, Sam Mangrum, Henry Brand and David Kjell, also have many years of experience and indeed David is a senior FAA authorization engineer. Equally the pilots are all qualified engineers and the engineers are qualified The Crew of Diamond Lil at Fort Worth pilots, so this British pilot felt very humble to our throats. Also the presentation of the the ground to greet us. On landing we in this super crew. We must not forget the greeting to the younger generation by the taxied past the airliners to be parked out- Scanners, two Lady Colonels, Kathy 2nd Air Division Association Heritage side the Northwest Headquarters flanked Martin and Starr Stone, who are also League to Norfolk Scouts was a moving by a Boeing 747 and a DC10. First out of accomplished aviators. occasion. At 1015 Diamond Lil rotated the Liberator is always the Flight Engineer The journey itself was an unforgettable smoothly at 90 mph and in no time at all we to place the tail support in position, and experience with constant reminders to us all were cruising above the clouds at 9,000 feet Sam Mangrum to his amazement was hand- as to why we were undertaking this unique with the crew rapidly settling in and ed a huge bouquet of flowers, something we flight, namely to pay tribute in this 50th everything running smoothly. will not let him forget. Then the rest of us Anniversary year to not only the 6400 Exactly on schedule at 1415 we started stepped out into the warm Minnesota sun- young men of the 2nd Air Division USAAF our descent into the huge Minneapolis shine to be met by a barrage of TV cameras who gave their lives for our freedom flying International Airport and the headquarters and radio reporters as well as a huge crowd. Liberators from the East Anglian bases of one of our main sponsors, Northwest Also waiting was the wartime B-24 pilot Lt. fifty years ago, but also to those who Airlines, and what a truly wonderful spon- Al Dexter and his wife Pat, whom we first survived. The Liberator just had to return sor they have been. No aircraft is allowed a met in 1944 when he was flying with the to Norfolk in this special year. The depar- "fly-by" at this major airport, but as we 389th Bomb Group at Hethel, and yet ture from Fort Worth, Texas on a foggy turned on finals the Tower requested that another link was established. A welcome and damp morning was the first reminder, we do just that, so gear and flaps were speech was made by the Vice President of with a hundred or so 2nd Air Division rapidly retracted and Diamond Lil proudly Northwest, presents were given to the crew, veterans there to see us off. The tears in swept along the runway and we were amaz- their eyes as we taxied out brought a lump ed to see the hundreds of people waiting on (continued on page 4) Second Air Division Association President's Message Eighth Air Force "Association" HONORARY PRESIDENT by Richard M. Kennedy JORDAN UTTAL defines an Association as "an organization of 7824 Meadow Park Drive, Apt. 101, Dallas, TX 75230 Webster persons having a common interest." In the case of the 2nd OFFICERS ADA one would not find many who would take exception President RICHARD M. KENNEDY to this definition — perhaps, none! Webster goes on to say 8051 Goshen Road, Malvern, PA 19355 linked in Executive Vice President JOHN B. CONRAD that an Association represents "something 2981 Four Pines #1, Lexington, KY 40502 memory or imagination with a thing or person." The 2nd Vice President really does link "memories" with a "thing"; most Membership EVELYN COHEN ADA Apt. 06-410 Delaire Landing Road vividly when recalled by most, if not all, of us. In light of Philadelphia, PA 19114 the foregoing, it would seem that the 2nd ADA certainly Vice President Journal WILLIAM G. ROBERTIE qualifies as an authentic "Association" in all essential categories. P.O. Box 627, Ipswich, MA 01938 COMMON INTEREST, MEMORIES AND SENTIMENT (FRIENDSHIP)!!!! Treasurer DEAN MOYER arrival of our Mighty 549 East Main St., Evans City, PA 16033 My friends, this year of 1992 marks the 50th Anniversary of the Secretary and Director of Eighth in the UK and the beginnings of the formation of those "2nd AD MEMORIES." Administrative Services DAVID G. PATTERSON Fifty years, and in the minds of many of our associates the recollection of those memorable 28 Squire Court, Alamo, CA 94507 who American Representative events are as clear and sharp today as they were when enacted. I don't think we, Board of Governors E (BUD)KOORNDYK experienced those unusual and momentous happenings will ever forget, or want to forget, 5184 N. Quail Crest Dr., Grand Rapids, MI 49546 the hazardous times we shared. Therefore, the cornerstones of COMMON INTEREST and GROUP VICE PRESIDENTS MEMORIES were securely set within us, not necessarily by design but, most likely, by our Headquarters RAY STRONG participation in the forefront of that tremendous conflict, WWII. 320 Burlage Circle, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 ADA has withstood the test of time. This fact is made abundantly clear as we 44th BG H C (Pete) HENRY The 2nd 16413 Portland Lane, Jamesburg, NJ 08831 approach our 45th Annual Reunion and, next year, the 30th Anniversary of our distinguish- 93rd BG FLOYD MABEE ed Memorial. Spanning the time period is in itself a major accomplishment but, as I see it, 28 Hillside Ave., Dover, NJ 07801 definitely grew in numbers, stature and 389th BG LLOYD E. WEST the Association not only held firmly together, it Box 256, Rush Center, KS 67575 prestige. A question that could be expected might be, "How can an Association, so widely 392nd BG OAK MACKEY spread out (across the USA) with such a diverse membership remain so intensely viable?" 2329 N. Recker Rd. #19, Mesa, AZ 85205 membership, the obvious 445th BG CHARLES L. WALKER A quick response would, of course, call attention to a dedicated 1530 S. Pomona 8-32, Fullerton, CA 92632 COMMON INTEREST and ongoing FRIENDSHIPS within that membership and, perhaps, 446th BG MARVIN SPEIDEL binding detail. Maybe that's it! A bond, some adhesive — the GLUE??? The 708 Dianne Court, Rahway, NJ 07065 some other 448th BG CATER LEE Memorial certainly has, if not an adhesive quality about it, the magnetism to produce the P.O. Box 850, Foley, AL 36536 capability of exerting a dynamic force contributing to Association longevity. As compelling 453rd BG WILBUR CLINGAN look a little "closer to home." I'd like to suggest that this 8729 Samoline, Downey, CA 90240 as the Memorial is, I'd like to 458th BG E A ROKICKI Journal is the GLUE that assembles, on a regular schedule, those basic factors COMMON 365 Mae Rd., Glen Burnie, MD 21061 INTEREST and FRIENDSHIP. I think it is safe to say we all look forward to each issue and 466th BG ELWOOD NOTHSTEIN anecdotes, the reports of 40 Meadow Dr., Spencerport, NY 14559 read, and re-read, with genuine interest the mission stories, the 467th BG ROBERT SHEEHAN Association doings and the letters to our Editor, Bill Robertie. Bill has produced and 1828 E. 27th St., Tulsa, OK 74114 continues to publish the kind of paper an Association like ours needs. We all owe him a great 489th BG NEAL SORENSEN 132 Peninsula Road, Medicine Lake, MN 55441 big thank you for all he's accomplished these many years. 491st BG F C (HAP)CHANDLER As you know, I've been rather direct and open with respect to my desire to maintain a 5318 Fairfield West, Dunwoody, GA 30338 strong 2nd ADA. I want to express my gratitude to the Division Group Vice Presidents for 492nd BG W.H.(BILL) BEASLEY 1525 S. Garfield, Denver, CO 80210 their dedication to that principle of holding to the team concept. While the Journal may be the GLUE, we all know the Groups are our STRENGTH! HERITAGE LEAGUE One more real factor contributing to our amazing record of longevity is the patience and President JEAN E STITES without them. 9334 Kahl Rd., Black Earth, WI 53515 understanding of our members' wives. Again, we all know, we couldn't do it A great big thank you to our constant partners. As we look ahead, we'll continue to call JOURNAL upon all we've mentioned here and, in addition, the Heritage League, our Associate Editor WILLIAM G.