You people are my heroes. You do not have a fancy title behind your name nor do you receive the bug bucks that go with the title. However, you do have a title that means much more. You are among the ever decreasing number who claim the title of veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, protector of freedom and democracy. In whatever capacity you served you can be proud. You did not run and hide or seek deferments. Instead, you gave your time to serve your country. When you raised your hand to be sworn in, you gave up many of your civil liberties but swore to protect these same liberties for all other Americans. I an proud of each and every one of you.

In the recent past some vets have been made to feel ashamed of or less than proud of their military service. Many veterans programs and benefits have been eliminated or cut back severely. We have a former president who once wrote to an Army colonel that he "loathed the military".

In today's society it seems that America's heroes are highly over compensated sports figures, entertainment celebrities or corporate CEO's. They have done nothing to protect our country or our freedoms, which for the most part, are taken for granted. Oh, they may wave a few flags, sing a few songs or make a few patriotic speeches, but you are the ones who stepped up to the plate and were willing to lay it on the line and if necessary to give your life for this country.

Recent events have once again shown just how important our military is to the defense of this and other peace loving countries who cherish freedom and democracy. Again, we have called upon our military people to lay it on the line and sacrifice their very lives if needed to insure the safety of this great land we call the United States. They are a cut above and the elite among us who, for the most part, go unnoticed except in the times of crisis.

WE SALUTE AND THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR
 YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY.

Jerry and Diane McDaniel,
A couple of fellow vets

December 10, 1943
Secretary of the Navy, Frank Knox, disclosed that the flying boat Mars, had flown 8,972 miles on a round trip from the U.S. to Natal, Brazil. It set records for weight of cargo (35,000lbs.) for the longest overwater trip. 4,375 miles from Patuxent, MD., to Natal.

December 10, 1946
XS-1 plane flown by Chalmers Goodlin, Bell Test Pilot, reached a speed of 550 mph.

December 27, 1935
Aerial bombardment diverted lava flow from waterworks at Hilo, Hawaii.

So Much to be Thankful For....

Hello everyone. It is the time of the season to be thankful for so many things. I hope the holidays bring all of you good health and happiness. For me this year has been a great pleasure to work with all of you and by this we at H.A.S. have had a good year.

A-26 update. Great news..it looks like Branson will get the engines running by sometime in December. We will keep you all informed and when it will be.

Construction update..it looks like the restrooms and kitchen will be completely finished by the end of December also. I am so glad! So come out and see how they look, Not bad if I do say so myself.

First of the year we will be starting to build out display area and by Spring have it open to the public. To do this we need help in making up displays.

Also Congressman Ted Strickland is working with H.A.S. to help up get some airplanes to put outside for display. With all of this going on it has been a busy year. I am looking forward to an even better New Year.

                                  Happy Holidays - Steve

Joining the Army Corp

After the vision of falling from a plane and two years in the CCC camp, I returned to home and went back to high school as a sophomore again. That was the fall of 1941. Half way through the sophomore year the Japanese attached Pearl Harbor. I enquired with the Draft Board to see if begin a student at my age would keep me out of the service until I got through high school. "No" they said. So, I went to the Oil Well Supply Co. and got a job. They put me to work making 155mm but parts.

Later I found out that the Flying Cadets had dropped all formal education requirements to get in. So I went down to the Recruiting Office to find out about it. "Yeah" that's right, so we can hire some more. But you're working on Military stuff, we won't take you". Oil Well Supply wouldn't grant me a deferment so I quit my job. Eventually 37 of us took the written examination.

It was pass or fail except for the top 5 applicants. I placed 4th. However I failed the eye test. Determined to get in, I went home and talked to a family friend who was an Eye Doctor who told me I had stigmatism and might as well forget it. However I had heard about a book "Sight Without Glasses". It provided me with exercises using a wire cage with a swinging pig pong ball for eye exercises. I worked with that 5 or 6 times a day for three and a half months. Next time, I passed the physical. They agreed to swear me in but said if I got a draft notice first I would have to go.

Since the draft was breathing down my neck, Oil City wouldn't hire me for only 2 or 3 months so I decided to go to Chicago to see a young lady who I had became interested in recently. She was in nursing school there.

Dad had no life insurance in 1934. That was common then. Mother had a younger son who needed all she could provide. So I went to Chicago and married the nurse. While working there at a machine shop, I got the notice from the Army Air Force to report to them on the 18th. What a dilemma!

I went back to Erie, PA. and was sworn in the Army Air Force. Then I went to the Draft and told them that I was already in the Air Force. They weren't happy but there was nothing they could do about it. I was really torn about this but my desire to be in the Air Force was too strong.

I headed to Lackland, San Antonio to the Aviation Cadet Center. Once again my experience at the CCC camp, and all of the Scouting training paid off. I adapted very well and was comfortable with military life. I wanted to be a navigator and the aptitude test confirmed that for me.

From San Antonio I went to Ellington Field, in Houston. We had a tough and unreasonable tactical officer and for 3 weeks denied us week-end passes without reason. Finally when we were denied passes again about 100 of us decided to put on our Class A uniforms and go to the street and march military drills. That was at 1:30 in that afternoon. By 10:00 that evening a lot of people were taking notice and soon they were asking us to stop. When we did stop we never had a problem getting weekend passes again. If that was a mutiny or demonstration, it worked.

We endured a vicious hurricane there also which damaged many planes and caused injuries.

Net we headed to Hondo west of San Antonio for Navigation training. Mac was now getting into the good stuff.

(story continues next month)

Approximately 15 shoes this year.
Volunteers need to prep the Planes.

Branson's crew is making great progress with the A-26. However he still ha room for more volunteers on that project. He'll put you to work no matter if you are skilled or not. Don't hesitate to stop in and see Branson. There is a lot of work that unskilled volunteers can do.

Art Moose is putting out a call for help with getting the S2F Tracker ready between airshows this summer. With all of the maintenance and pre-show activity on the Tracker when it returns from a show, Art says he'd be really happy just to have a few guys who will help out with cleaning the plane up for the next weekend.

Sometimes we all fail to realize how much we can help but it's just a matter of volunteering and you'll have some fun and be of invaluable service to the crew. You'd be part of the crew.

Oh yeh don't forget they may even need some help with the Stinson to get it ready between shows.

Art Moose - 740.454.7058 Tracker
Branson Rutherford - 740.756.4136

Haven't paid your dues yet? Now is the time to do so. It's time to "thin the herd" and stop sending newsletters out to those who are no longer paid up members.

If you'd like to continue to receive the newsletter and be a member of the Squadron, please send your check or money order made payable to:

Historical Aircraft Squadron
PO Box 156
Carroll, Ohio
43112

Thanks for your continued support.
Note: without paid dues the newsletter will not continue to you.

Bob DeLay, Editor;and Graphic Design
  614.846.2876

Mail:
Invader
PO Box 158
Carroll, Ohio 43112

Hanger Phone
740.653.4778
A-26 Project Leader
Branson Rutherford - 740.756.4136

Email
Info@HistoricalAircraftSquadron.com

Steve Clapper, President
614.877.9872

Melinda Rutherford, Treasurer
740.756.4136

Sue Boden, Secretary
740.653.9169

Diane McDaniel, Membership
614.855.2120

Wayne Swisher
740.653.8593

Branson Rutherford
740.756.4136

Kathy Ridgeway
614.899.9690

Robert George
614.491.8916

Jim Belshe
614.833.9561