HANGAR HAPPENINGS FEBRUARY 2019 1 NEWSLETTER OF THE YANKEE AIR MUSEUM HANGAR HAPPENINGS ISSUE FORTY-FOUR WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS MONTH IN AND ABOUT THE YANKEE AIR MUSEUM FEBRUARY 2019 INSIDE THIS ISSUE HISTORIC PRESENTATION NIGHT: SUNKEN WWII 1 AIRPLANES VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: 2 NICK PREDKO SUMMER CAMP 2019 3 AIR ADVENTURES 4 VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR 5 BEHIND THE SCENES 6 Sunken WWII DEVELOPMENT CORNER 7 Airplanes of Papua New Guinea THE “VERTICAL VICTORY 8 APRESENTATIONBY OUTOFTHEBLUEPRODUCTIONS PIANO” PROGRAM SPEAKERS: HANGAR 1 Jim & Pat Stayer HOSTEDBYTHEYANKEEAIRMUSEUM REPLACEMENT PROJECT 9 World War II came to the Australian territory of Papua New Guinea in January 1942 with the invasion of the island of AMERICAN BISTRO NIGHT 10 New Britain by the Imperial Japanese Army. The struggle for control of this territory became a major campaign in the Pacific Theater of war, lasting until Japan’s surrender in 1945. The New Guinea campaign was characterized by fierce MEMBER GETAWAY: air battles with heavy losses on both sides. Many aircraft were shot down; others suffered mechanical failures or got 11 TRAVERSE CITY lost and ran out of fuel. Most of these planes have never been found because they crashed in remote jungle locations or far out to sea. Divers, educators, and maritime historians Jim and Pat Stayer describe underwater wrecks that have MEMBER GETAWAY: been found, unlocking each one’s special story while sharing a diver’s unique insight into these tragedies. 12 OSHKOSH Wednesday, February 6th 2019, 7:30pm MEMBER GETAWAY: 13 General Purpose Room, YANKEE AIR MUSEUM, Willow Run Airport • Free Admission LOUISVILLE Doors open at 6:30pm • NO Admission after 8:00pm ECORSE RD. WINGS & WHEELS 14 . D YANKEE AIR MUSEUM WILLOW RUN EAST SIDE, WILLOW RUN AIRPORT D ST. AIRPORT D BECK R 47884 D Street T.O.M. TICKETS ON SALE 15 Belleville, MI 48111 YANKEE AIR TYLER RD. MUSEUM ANN ARBOR BELLEVILLE R YankeeAirMuseum.org EXIT 190 (734) 483-4030 OPEN TO THE PUBLIC and FREE © 2018 YANKEE AIR MUSEUM THE YANKEE AIR MUSEUM IS 10360 BELLEVILLE RD., JUST NORTH OF I-94; GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED IN PART BY and 2141 RAWSONVILLE RD., SOUTH OF I-94 HANGAR HAPPENINGS FEBRUARY 2019 2 ON THE HORIZON Volunteer Spotlight: NICK PREDKO This month, we would like to highlight Nick Predko in our Volunteer Spotlight. Nick has volunteered for the Museum for over 2 ½ years working with our Security team, as well as special events such as the American Bistro, Bombers and Brews, and Thunder Over WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 6TH Michigan. Nick has spent countless hours HISTORIC PRESENTATION helping to improve the security systems at the NIGHT: SUNKEN WWI museum including updating the cameras. AIRPLANES See page 1 Predko lives in Chesterfield, MI with his wife, Mary, as well as Horace, a 180 lb. St. Bernard. SUNDAY FEBRUARY 17 Nick graduated from Mona Shores High School THE “VERTICAL VICTORY in 2001 (located in western Michigan) and PIANO” PROGRAM attended Ferris State University in 2006. See page 8 He is now a Stationary Operating Engineer Apprentice at Quicken Loans and Meridian Health headquarters in Detroit. TUESDAY FEBRUARY 19 Nick was drawn to the Museum from his love of aviation and wanting to TICKET RELEASE FOR contribute to a worthwhile cause. The Museum’s mission in history, education, BEHIND THE SCENES TOUR and the future of aviation inspires today’s youth to “reach for the clouds.” See page 6 Nick’s suggestion for anyone who would like to volunteer at the Museum? “Do it! Being a part of a small but growing organization allows you to really make an impact! The wide range of backgrounds among the volunteers makes every day at the Museum a learning opportunity.” We all at the Yankee Air Museum would like the give a huge “thank you” to Nick Predko for his volunteer efforts on behalf of the Museum. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Tom Carroll at 734-483-4030 or at [email protected]! If you would like to volunteer at the Yankee Air Museum, please contact Tom Carroll at 734-483-4030, or at [email protected] YANKEE AIR FORCE, INC. CONTACT US FOR MORE INFO hangarhapps@ 47884 D Street (48111) 734.483.4030 yankeeairmuseum.org YankeeAirMuseum.org Belleville, Michigan USA 48112 HANGAR HAPPENINGS FEBRUARY 2019 3 summer camps are back at and this year. Over 50 camp sessions for Preschool—8th Grade leave you with lots of ways to discover, explore, and take flight this summer! YANKEE AIR FORCE, INC. CONTACT US FOR MORE INFO hangarhapps@ 47884 D Street (48111) 734.483.4030 yankeeairmuseum.org YankeeAirMuseum.org Belleville, Michigan USA 48112 HANGAR HAPPENINGS FEBRUARY 2019 4 YANKEE AIR FORCE, INC. CONTACT US FOR MORE INFO hangarhapps@ 47884 D Street (48111) 734.483.4030 yankeeairmuseum.org YankeeAirMuseum.org Belleville, Michigan USA 48112 HANGAR HAPPENINGS FEBRUARY 2019 5 VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR 2018 Thank you to all who attended the Volunteer Appreciation Dinner on Saturday, January 26! We had a wonderful time celebrating and honoring our volunteers who work so hard on behalf of the Museum! We have become who we are today due to all of your hard work, determination, and passion. As our Executive Director, Kevin Walsh, said best “passion is what drives all of us here at Yankee Air Museum” and that was certainly apparent on Saturday evening! On behalf of all of us here at Yankee Air Museum, thank you for being a part of this organization! Thank you for being so generous with the giving of your time, energy, and passion to make this Museum the best it can be, an institution that we are all proud of! This year, along with our annual Volunteer Hours ceremony where pins and patches are awarded for cumulative hours volunteered, we also honored several “Volunteers of the Year” for specific departments. Below are our 2018 Awardees! Congratulations to all! Restoration | Nick Consiglio, Joseph Provost, Robert E. Bailey III Retail | Rhonda McQuiston Public Relations | John Drews Flight Operations | Duane Nelson Flyable Maintenance | Pat Trevas Docents | Bob James Air Shows | Dave Steiner Oral History | Gary DeLisle Security | Nick Predko Ramp | Paul Boucher Special Events | Peter Deloof Special Projects | Ron Huber & Chris Curran Tribute Rosies | Maggie Morris Dynamic Duo | Hank & Toni Koski Collections | Gery Kissel Exhibits & Design | Robert Dettling Bomber Plant Operations | Kevin Perlongo Ground Support Equipment | Bruce Bertz YANKEE AIR FORCE, INC. CONTACT US FOR MORE INFO hangarhapps@ 47884 D Street (48111) 734.483.4030 yankeeairmuseum.org YankeeAirMuseum.org Belleville, Michigan USA 48112 HANGAR HAPPENINGS FEBRUARY 2019 6 YANKEE AIR FORCE, INC. CONTACT US FOR MORE INFO hangarhapps@ 47884 D Street (48111) 734.483.4030 yankeeairmuseum.org YankeeAirMuseum.org Belleville, Michigan USA 48112 HANGAR HAPPENINGS FEBRUARY 2019 7 DEVELOPMENT ONE DONOR CORNER MAKES A DIFFERENCE - DR. JOHN A. CLARK Can one donor make a difference on behalf of the Yankee Air Museum? The answer is most certainly “yes” – such as through the Legacy Giving Circle. Through this program, the Museum can be named in the will as a beneficiary of whatever assets the donor chooses – thereby moving us closer to our goal of moving into the last 144,000 square feet of the Willow Run Bomber Plant. The Museum is proud that our first Legacy Giving Circle member is Dr. John A. Clark, Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan. Dr. Clark’s devotion to serving others is an essential part of his extraordinary life story. Consider: After growing up in Royal Oak, MI, Dr. Clark became a B-17 co-pilot with the 100th Bomb Group, Eighth Air Force, completing 32 missions over Germany in WWII. He authored a World War II memoir, An Eighth Air Force Combat Diary, and received many military decorations for his service – such as the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters. He continued serving his country as a pilot with the 107th Bomb Squadron, Michigan Air National Guard. In recognition of these many achievements, Dr. Clark was inducted into the 2016 Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame and was also awarded the French Legion of Honor. After WWII, John Clark earned degrees from the University of Michigan and MIT. After teaching at MIT, he was appointed to the University of Michigan faculty as Professor of Mechanical Engineering, later serving as Department Chairman for two terms. He has published many technical papers, led numerous research efforts, and received several professional honors and awards. In his personal life, John Clark found an extraordinarily talented life partner, Marie Mountain, who he married in 1945. Ms. Clark was a pilot who served in World War II as a member of the Women’s Air Force Service Pilots (WASP) and published her memoir, Dear Mother and Daddy: World War II Letters Home from a WASP. She was inducted into the Iowa Aviation Hall of Fame and was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for her WASP WWII service. Ms. Clark passed away after 63 years of marriage in 2008. Dr. Clark’s record of serving others has continued; he is a Senior Life Member of the Yankee Air Museum. In Dr. Clark’s view, WWII was one of the most significant events of the 20th century and that history should be preserved - especially for young people. Dr. Clark has shown this commitment in many ways – such as through donations of time, money, and effort - going back to restoration efforts on the B-17 Yankee Lady. He has donated his and Marie’s military uniforms for permanent display at the Museum. Additionally, Dr. Clark has established a scholarship program for youth to study aviation, math, or science, and included the Museum in the Legacy Giving Program.