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THE QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF THE HICKORY AVIATION MUSEUM

THE FURY

SPRING 2012

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Editors Note: READ THIS FIRST!

By Tom Burkhalter efore you continue reading this newsletter a comment is in order regarding the articles written by myself, Kyle Kirby and Jeff Wofford. Put simply, none of us, at the time each of us sat down and wrote the articles published herein, had any idea what the others were going to write. When I finished my article I put it aside and read Kyles work. OK, I thought, we pretty much cover the same groundbutno, that viewpoint is totally Kyles, and everyone in HAM knows just how unique that can be (!), so I thought, let it stand. So then I got Jeffs article, and my first reaction was, oh no, we cant have three articles all about the same thing! But the truth is that they arent about the same thing. Even though they sprang from the same source, the same inspiration, Jeff, Kyle and I drew complementary but different lessons from the experience. And what it showed first and foremost to me is that not just the three of us, but ALL of us, are united by a vision of not only what our museum is, but what our museum can be. So the articles in this issue are presented in that spirit. And anyone who reads this is invited to share in it.

City of Hickory Takes Over Airport FBO

isitors to the Hickory Regional Airport in the last few months will have seen a major change: Riverhawk Aviation has gone bankrupt and the City of Hickory, owner and operator of the airport, now owns and operates the Fixed Base Operator franchise as well, providing fuel, tie downs, ramp and hangar space for aircraft based at or visiting the airport.

(City of Hickory Takes Over Airport FBO) Terry Clark, the Airport Manager, now has the task of overseeing the FBO facilities as well as all his other tasks about the airfield. Terry has been working some long, hard days as he settles in to his new job or jobs! Nonetheless Terry always has a
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THE FURY / Spring 2012 / 1

(City of Hickory Takes Over Airport FBO)

smile and a good word for visitors as he keeps things running. We here at the Hickory Aviation Museum consider that the airport is part of our local aviation heritage and we wish Terry, and the City of Hickory, all the best of luck and success in this endeavor.

Veterans Birthday Party

Directors Corner
The Honor is Mine! ell, the original plan was to start a series of articles on the different museums I have been able to go to. As a corporate pilot, I travel all over the country and I have been fortunate to visit a lot of museums. These include the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum, UdvarHazy Center, the Marine Corps Museum, the Naval Aviation Museum, the Intrepid Museum, the Mighty Eighth Museum, the Midway Museum, the SAC Museum and the Pima Air & Space Museum. While I have been very fortunate to go to these museums and I have a lot of pictures (around 3500 or so), something happened on Saturday March 3rd, that is more important than talking about other museums. Saturday March 3rd was the normal day for our monthly meeting. Rather than have a formal program, we had planned on having our quarterly veterans birthday party. So Linda picked up burgers, hot dogs, buns, and a cake. Members brought chili and all the other fixins. So, while Kyle cooked everyone sat in the meeting room and talked. Once the food was ready, everyone enjoyed lunch together. Before lunch, I got to visit with Jim Dorian. If you havent met Jim, he is our crazy Marine in residence. He usually has a beanie hat on with a little propeller on top. I think he was hoping to be a Marine Aviator. Jim is one of a kind. If you want to meet a great guy and have a few laughs in the process, Jims the man. I sat at a table with John Parker, Bob Morgan, Joe Miller and a couple of our members. To say that I was with an esteemed group would be an understatement. THE FURY / Spring 2012 / 2

John was in the 8th Air Force in WWII as a B-17 Navigator. John started out WWII as an enlisted man and then applied for aviation. He ended up retiring from the Air Force as a full Colonel. He was an advisor with Boeing Corporation in Iran when the Shah was deposed. He was one of the last men out after the US Embassy was overrun. John was one of the guys that sabotaged equipment on the way out. While we were eating lunch he got a phone call from a friend in Germany. I could only hear one part of the conversation, but John told his friend that he had not gone to Savannah for the Mighty Eighth Reunion, but had stayed in Hickory to be with his friends at the museum. He then told his friend that he was sitting with the president of the organization. To think that he was impressed to be sitting with me blew me away. I am very proud indeed to call John Parker a friend. Joe Miller was sitting across from me. If you havent met Joe, you are really missing out. Joe has to be one of the nicest men I have ever met. When you get him to talk about flying his eyes sparkle. Joe flew B-24s in Europe in WWII. He was based in Italy with the 15th Air Force. If you are not familiar with the 15th, they flew some of the most dangerous missions of the war. Joe is also a humble man. He does not like to be referred to as a hero. He just says that he was doing his job. The thing that stands out in my mind about Joe is a couple of years ago during our Veterans Day program, I had announced that Congress had passed a ruling that allowed veterans and out-of-uniform military to salute the American Flag when it was presented and during the National Anthem. As the National Anthem played and the JROTC Cadets presented the American Flag, I looked over and Joe was with a gentleman named Art
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(The Honor is Mine!)

Sulteen. You might think, well whats the big deal? Well, the big deal is that both of them were in wheel chairs. What I saw wasnt two ninety some year old men, but two young men, wearing flight suits and a leather jacket, standing tall and rendering honors to their flag. What can you say about Bob Morgan? A lot of people know that Bob flew for the airlines. Many people may know that he actually was one of the people that helped start Royal Saudi Arabian Airlines. But what you may not know is what he did during the war. Bob flew transports in WWII and covered a large part of the globe. As a commercial pilot he also flew in the Korean War and in the Vietnam War as an Airlift captain. Bob has flown most of the large commercial airplanes (DC-3s, DC-4s, DC-6s, Constellations, DC-8s, etc) and has accumulated something like forty thousand flight hours. Hes also a pretty interesting character. Lets put it this way. While he was flying, he didnt just hang out in a hotel when he was on the ground; he went out and saw the world. Your time would be well spent to sit down and spend some time with Bob. Im just getting to know Sherman Best and Dan Healey, but like the other WWII guys; they are worth spending time with. Dan was in B-24s, Sherman flew B-26s. Sherman was flying a B-26 during the D-Day Invasion. Saturday, we were also fortunate to have retired General Larry Huggins with us and he brought Paul Cash with him as well. Paul has been a long time supporter of our organization. He and Hank Avery were close friends and they basically started the Silver Creek Airport along with a couple of other guys. Paul flew B-24s in WWII. So, between Paul, Joe and Dan, we had three guys from the 15th Air Force at the museum. And yes, the B-24 guys picked on the lone B-17 guy (John Parker). For over an hour these men told stories about their experience during the War. Sherman told what it was like to see the armada of ships during D-Day. Larry Huggins talked of flying in Vietnam. I found out that Larry and I had some mutual friends. But one of the things that really got me was while we were talking about the wars, Joe Miller leaned forward and he explained that in his opinion, the WWII guys didnt need a memorial. He explained that when they came home they were treated like heroes. He said that THE FURY / Spring 2012 / 3

the men that fought in Vietnam were the ones that deserved a memorial. Joe said that when they came home they were treated like crap. Joe said that in his mind, they were some of the bravest men he had ever met. While all this was going on, I sat back and listened. I didnt need to get up and make a presentation or talk about the museum. I sat back and listened to these guys talk about such momentous times in our history. It hit me like a ton of bricks, how fortunate I was to be in a room with these guys. I thought about what John had told his friend about being impressed to be sitting with the president of the organization. John, let me tell you, the honor is all mine to know men like you. So, to John Parker, Joe Miller, Sherman Best, Dan Healy, Bob Morgan, Paul Cash, Larry Huggins, Jim Dorian (Ooh Ra), to Ray, Andrew, Eddie, and to all of the veterans in our organization and to the all the veterans that come to the gathering of eagles each month. I salute you. We are truly lucky to live in a country like ours that breeds such men as these. And to Warren Shook and Art Sulteen, I know you guys are looking down on us with a smile. We wont forget you. The point is this. Take time to come out to the museum, especially on the first Saturday of the month. You never know who you will see and what you may learn. We have veterans from pre-WWII to OIF and everything in between. Having a chance to sit down and talk with these men and women that served our country is truly an honor. The burgers arent bad either! This is one of the things that makes the Hickory Aviation Museum much different than any place else. Oh, and by the way, I still plan on doing a set of articles on museums. Sincerely Jeff Wofford (USN 75-81) Director, Hickory Aviation Museum

Rural America
Saudi Arabia (Part I)

n this large and great nation of ours, parts are heavily industrialized, parts are densely urbanized, but the greater area is rural America, sometimes referred to as Small Town America. Many of you reading this are residents of Small Town America and have a capitol city called Hickory. Hickory offers something special. Within its boundaries is a small but growing attraction called the Hickory Aviation Museum. A close relationship exists between the elected officials of the city of Hickory and the leadership of the museum. The museum is an important asset to our community, not only as a repository for aviation memorabilia, but more importantly as an educational center for our young and a gathering place for our veterans. Among its membership is something quite remarkable. Three individuals have spent considerable time in Saudi Arabia. Not many museums can claim that distinction, even the large institutions. These three have a comprehensive knowledge of Saudi Arabia, much more than the average American (this includes some of our politicians and the news media) because WE WERE THERE. First: There is Colonel John Parker (Retired) whose career began during WWII and had many missions over Europe aboard a B-17. After retirement, John was employed by Boeing Aircraft and spent time in Tehran, Iran and five years in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He knows the country well. Second: There is Chris Knollmeyer, an ex-Marine who flew an F-27 from an airfield close to the Rubi Al Khali and near the U.A.E. (United Arab Emirates). After 5 years there, he also knows the country well. Third: There is yours truly, Bob Morgan, who spent 3 years in Saudi Arabia. I was there from 1946 to 1949. I was also ex-military, United States Army Air Corps, stationed in North Africa. My main base was Payne Field close to Cairo, Egypt. Our primary missions were supplying military installations throughout the Mediterranean, Middle East and into the China/Burma/India theaters of war. We also brought back the wounded to hospitals in North Africa. At the end of WWII, TransWorld Airlines was awarded route extensions into India. TWA founded THE FURY / Spring 2012 / 4

Iranian Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and Saudi Arabia Airlines around the same time. They also leased two DC-3s to Aramco (Arabian American Oil Company) with crews. Aramco is a part of Standard Oil of California and was instrumental in discovering and developing the oil fields in Saudi Arabia. I was discharged from the military December 18th, 1945 and was employed by TWA as part of the first flight crew to go to Saudi Arabia. It was barnstorming at its ultimate. The only asset we had over the oldtimers in aviation was our modern aircraft, a DC3. Paved runways were non-existent, the same for navigational aids, traffic control or weather facilities. Being young, we believed we were indestructible and were unknowingly well supplied with an abundance of guts. It really wasnt that bad as our flying was mostly visual and during daylight. My time in Saudi Arabia was instrumental in determining who and what I was to become in later life. The Saudi people I have known have my greatest respect, especially the Bedouin. The first king was King Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud and he took pride in his Bedouin ancestry. I met and flew many members of the royal family and they were all great people. The Aramco contract folded and I was transferred over to Saudi Arabian Airlines. Our co-pilots and radio operators were Saudi nationals. One Saudi crew member, a radio operator named Khali Helawani, flew with me quite often and we became close friends. He said something Ill never forget. Morgan, you are my friend, and being my friend you are my brother. And being my brother, I will die for you. Will you do the same for me? In February, 1945, the U.S. cruiser Quincy was stationed on the Great Bitter Lake in the Suez Canal. A meeting aboard the ship between President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and King Aziz Ibn Saud developed into a close friendship. They had a great respect for each other. FDR gave the king an airplane, a DC3. Its registration was SA-R-1 which meant Saudi Arabian-Royal-One. The museum has a model of SA-R-1 built by Henry Busch, a museum member. It is truly a thing of beauty. There are other models of SA-R-1 but they are not authentic. Ours is the only model with the true paint scheme and I have photos to prove it. Plus I flew the bird many times. In closing, I would like to make a few remarks about our newsletter. Tom Burkhalter is our editor and he
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(Rural America)

works closely with Brian King putting together the newsletter each quarter. Kyle Kirby keeps everyone informed of the museums current and future events. Bob Morgan is a story teller. Others, including Jeff Wofford, contribute articles. Tom does a fine job but is very demanding. I can think of only one job that is more demanding, that of a French chef. Luckily, Tom cant cook! Sorry, Tom, just having a little fun. You are indispensable. Well, youve just finished Part I of a two part article. Part II will be published this summer and it will cover flying in Saudi Arabia in the late forties. I have been in contact with Standard Oil whose main offices are in Houston and they have requested that I write stories of my time in Saudi Arabia when I was affiliated with Aramco. I hope you will find my stories interesting and informative. They are not second hand. I was there and was a participant. Bob Morgan

future. Members who havent been around for awhile were welcomed, and new members had a chance to see us at our best. Maybe young Ethan Hudson, whom if I recall correctly is seven years old, really set the tone by reminding us all that he and other youngsters like him are what this Museum is all about. Ethan has just gotten interested in airplanes and World War II history and really wanted to meet some of our veterans and get their autographs. But hes seven, so he asked Kyle to get the autographs for him. Kyle encouraged Ethan to do it himself; those folks wont bite! So to watch Ethan go from one veteran to another, escorted by his mother, Brandi, gaining confidence with each meeting, well, that was worth seeing. Dont know who got more of a kick out of it by the end, Ethan or the vets! Ethan also took his first airplane ride that Saturday thanks to the good offices of the Young Eagles program of the EAA. I guess its safe to say that Ethan, like the rest of us, is now just plane crazy.

A Report From the Heart

By Tom Burkhalter ere late with the newsletter this quarter for a bunch of reasons, mostly having to do with all the usual reasons arising from the mix of personal necessities in an organization of volunteers. But being late with this issue, though, presents the opportunity to report on an event that stands at the core of what we at the Hickory Aviation Museum are all about. The occasion was the monthly meeting held on Saturday, March 3, 2012. Monthly meetings are almost always informative, usually interesting and generally amusing. We had a good turnout this time, with a broad spread among the old, the young, the veterans and the enthusiasts. The veterans honored all present by sharing their most precious and hard-won possessions with us: their memories. The youngsters gave us something equally precious: the opportunity to keep making a difference to the THE FURY / Spring 2012 / 5

Ethan Hudson & friends with EAA Young Eagles pilot Bill Dobson What do I say about Joe Miller? Joe flew B-24s with the 15th Air Force in World War II. Joe will turn 90 in a few weeks. Hes confined to a wheelchair now but that didnt keep him from entertaining us all with his story of buzzing a British Lancaster bomber with his B-24 during the war. Joe wasnt the only one with a birthday this quarter. John Parker just turned 89. Sherman Best turned 91, and spoke to us movingly about his missions over Omaha Beach on D-Day. Bob Morgan, the (biggest) baby of the bunch, turned 88. Long-time supporter Paul Cash attended just to meet the other Liberator types.
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(A Report From the Heart)

Larry Huggins and his wife Susan were there. Larry flew F-4 Phantoms and F-105s in Vietnam, and gave us an account of some of his experiences in that conflict which included taking part in the rescue of another HAM member, Kenny W. Fields, aka Streetcar 304. Finally, let me note an extraordinary donation our friend Sorin Cojocaru made to the Museum. Sorin flew MiG-21s for the Romanian Air Force, and prevailed upon his old squadron commander to send us a flight suit and pressure helmet issued to MiG pilots. As a child of the Cold War this gift was incredibly significant and moving, and I wasnt the only one to shake Sorins hand with gratitude and appreciation. Sorins a great guy and we hope to see more of him at the Museum!

Real, Living History

By Kyle Kirby very day just manning the post at the Museum is unique and exciting because you never know who is going to walk through that door! Last Saturday Dave Max, an F-15E Strike Eagle pilot from Hickory, came in and donated a 20mm shell casing expended over Afghanistan from his F-15E Strike Eagle. Dave also gave us a US flag flown over his units base along with a certificate describing these artifacts! That is way cool! The important point: Dave said he hadnt forgotten his visit with us a couple of years ago and wanted to do something special because we made HIS visit special. .That says a lot about what we do here and what sets us apart. We take time and make people feel welcome! When I envisioned the idea for the museum years ago, I thought it would be really neat to have veterans available for the public to meet: A cast of people who represented a diversity that gave a good cross section of the many tasks our military performs. That would provide a great sanctuary for the veterans, history buffs, children, and the like to come and meet on a personal level. It has manifested itself in our Gathering of Eagles. This is a huge amount of fun for all of us. Some of the WW II guys actually call it the Gathering of Old Buzzards! That in itself gives you an insight into the atmosphere we have on these special occasions. First of all, Linda Hill picks up a bunch of doughnuts from Krispy Kreme and starts the coffee perking. Linda sets the stage for our special guests to arrive.

Sorin Cojocaru, right, presents Romanian Air Force flight suit and pressure helmet to the Museum

So there it is, a report from the heart, the living, beating heart of our Museum: pride and recognition of the past, enjoyment and hard work in the present, and always building hope for the future. Come be with us as we work and build for the better tomorrow that aviation has always symbolized. THE FURY / Spring 2012 / 6

Kyle Kirby at the grill with Andrew M., Trish Neubert and Chris Knollmeyer (continued next page)

room was hosed with machine gun fire!! Lysle Moore was an Air Corps crew chief operating near the front Some come out early and mingle in the museum. I and I listened with intense interest to his stories as he love this as it gives some of the younger kids a chance got front row seats watching RAF Typhoons use their to meet their first WW II veteran. Others filter in HVARS in support of his very unit!! Bob Morgan later and assemble outside the mutipurpose room in flew ATC C-46 Commandos in North Africa and the terminal building. all over the Middle East. His tour of duty included If you want to come hear some history, you will be flying the Hump between India and China! After at the right place. Our regular cast ranges from WW the war he was hired by TWA in Saudi Arabia and II to Vietnam era veterans and we have even had some flew for ARAMCO and the Saudi royal family. Bob vets of later campaigns grace our facility. The most went on to incredible thing amass 37,000 for me is the fact hrs flying that there are with various still very young airlines, men trapped in mainly Slick older bodies and and Airlift! oh yeah, those You can read youngsters show his stories up every time in every we get together! newsletter The adrenaline we have flows and the published. passion comes in Newcomer along with pride Cal Jardeen of service! It is was with a a magic thing Navy JM-1 to behold and unit in Florida. I feel it is our Talk about greatest treasure. Flak-Bait Captain Sherman Best sharing an amusing piece of history obscure...this For instance, it was the Navys designation for the B-26 Marauder always blows me away to hear Bill Brown talk about and it was great last month for him to meet Sherm! D-Day from his front row seat in LST-512. Warren By the way, Sherman flew the B-26 Flak-Bait on Shook saw it from the other side as he jumped in 14 of his 63 combat missions!! Flak-Bait survived with the 101st Airborne probably on 5 June 44 just 207 combat missions in WW II and now resides in before midnight. We lost Warren two years ago and the Smithsonian. They repaired over a thousand I will always treasure the memories he shared with bullet holes in her during her great crusade!! us! If that isnt enough, Sherman Best flew THREE We also have others that attend. I feel that all missions over the beach that day in B-26 Marauders! veterans are equal! At HAM, rank doesnt matter! His first sortie was at 10,000 ft and the third was Branch of service doesnt matter! Era of service right on the deck!! doesnt matter! .Only Duty, Honor and Country Oh there are others! Joe Miller flew 44 missions matter here! Two years ago we lost six souls that out of Italy with the 15th AF in the 449th BG. Dan regularly attended our fraternity of special friends! Healy operated with the 450th BG Cottontails They are missed dearly, but we carry their memory stationed near Joe. Their perspectives and stories in our hearts with pride. Some family members were are overwhelming. John Parker was a B-17 navigator even quoted as saying that we added two years to flying out of England with the 8th AF, 457th BG. John their lives!! It is important that we perpetuate their made Colonel before retiring from the USAF, went memory and this incredibly rich history that they to work for Boeing, and caught the last C-141 out of represent! Tehran when the Shah fell in Iran. This was after his THE FURY / Spring 2012 / 7
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(Real, Living History)

(Real, Living History)

To add to this, I just want to say to Harry Flynn, Ken Gibson, Max Reynolds, Ernest Tolbert, Tom Farra and any of our cast...I did not forget you! We love each of you and we want to extend an open invitation to all veterans to come and join us! We have great plans and oodles of ambition! Everyone is welcome here and we hope to see you soon! Want to come be a part of the best kept secret in our area? Come meet some folks who I consider to be American Institutions! Come be a part of a group that is really pursuing a great chance to really contribute to the community! Also, for all the school systems here locally! Come out and experience some REAL LIVING HISTORY on the first Saturday of each month at our museum. It really is a priceless venue!!

Kyle

The Ball Turret Gunner

short fiction By Tom Burkhalter

he two corporals drove the truck along the taxiway between the dispersal bays, looking for a B-17 bomber named Big Bang, Baby! They drove slowly because of the fog. The bombers were darker shadows in the gray mist, and they slowed by the nose of each aircraft to read its name. Finally, said the corporal in the passenger seat. THE FURY / Spring 2012 / 8

Boeing B-17G The corporal driving halted the truck. They both looked up at the nose of the bomber. Big Bang, Baby! and her crew flew the mission to Bremen this morning. The leggy, chesty, lewdlywinking female painted on the bombers nose was torn through the middle by shrapnel that slit the aluminum skin of the aircraft. Through the slit they
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About like a .30-caliber. Oh. could see part of the navigators desk. The skin of Yeah. The bastard must have gotten real close to the bomber didnt look much thicker than a beer can. get that many hits. Come on. Jesus, said the driver. Earlier, just after the The driver took the hose and carried it towards the bombers got back from the mission, he heard one ball turret. Its guns were pointed slightly away from of the sergeant air-gunners say it hadnt been a bad them. They could see part of the aluminum armor on mission, not bad at all, except for the flak and the the back of the turret. As they got closer they could fighters. see it had been punched out and crinkled somehow. Somewhere on the fog-shrouded air base an engine The tiny wedge-shaped Plexiglas windows on the started up, grumbled, backfired, and steadied into a side of the turret were clouded over. low rumble. The aluminum at the back of the turret was bulged The two corporals got out. One took a rubber sheet right over the access plate. Some of the metal had torn and went towards outward, showing the bomber. The it was no more driver went to the than a quarterback of the truck inch thick. This and attached hoses close the corporals to a water tank and smelled burnt a small pump. It powder, machine took him a minute oil and burned to get the pump flesh. A name had started. Then he been stenciled on looked around for the access plate, his partner. but all that could be Hey, Randy, made out now was where are you? he a rank, S/SGT. The called. rest was gone. The driver The driver took waited, and then a wrench out of his started toward the pocket and opened bomber with one the turret access of the hoses. He Combat damage to ball turret of B-17 Bomber hatch. It sagged ducked under the open, exposing the interior of the turret. bombers wing and saw Randy standing looking at In flight the gunner curled up inside the turret the fuselage between the wing and the tail of the with his back against the access plate. The breeches airplane. of the .50-caliber machine guns were on either side The driver turned and saw three holes about a foot of his head. Between his feet there was a round, flat across angling across the fuselage from the tail to Plexiglas plate about a foot across. The ball turret the waist gunners position and the fuselage below gunner aimed his weapons through this port. and ahead of the waist gunner. There were a lot of A few shards of Plexiglas were all that remained little pea-sized holes peppered around the fuselage of the port. The breeches of the machine guns, the as well. instruments, the entire interior of the turret, was What the hell? asked Randy. He had just arrived coated with a thick layer of dried blood, meat and on base the afternoon before. bits of leather. Kraut fighters, the driver said. The big holes Randy turned away. He hunched over and made are from a 20-mm cannon. The little ones are from strangled liquid noises. He splashed vomit on the an 8-mm machine gun. concrete hardstand by his boots. Eight millimeter? Come on, the driver growled quietly. Lets
(The Ball Turret Gunner)

THE FURY / Spring 2012 / 9

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(The Ball Turret Gunner)

get this over with. Spread that sheet out under the turret. Randy straightened up and wiped his mouth. But wheres the gunner? he asked. His voice rasped and hesitated. Somewhere over Germany, a new voice replied. The two corporals turned. A sergeant-gunner stood a few feet away, smoking a cigarette. The sergeant wore his leather flying jacket with a white scarf wound around his neck. He turned to pitch the cigarette butt into the grass beyond the hardstand. On the back of his jacket the corporals saw the same leggy, chesty, lewdly-winking nude female that adorned the nose of the bomber, with the legend Big Bang, Baby! emblazoned underneath. Sixteen red bomb silhouettes were painted under the name and below that three Nazi flags for the fighters the sergeant had shot down. The sergeant lit another cigarette and took a deep drag. The corporals saw the tip of the cigarette tremble, ever so slightly. You were on the mission to Bremen? Randy asked. Yeah. Have you been on a lot of missions? Not enough, the sergeant replied. This morning was only my seventeenth. Eight to go. Randy started to ask another question but the driver punched him lightly on the shoulder. We got a job to do, the driver said. Randy nodded. The driver turned the handle on the pump and sprayed water on the inside of the turret. Randy recoiled when pink froth sloshed out of the open hatch and splashed him. Something white washed out of the turret and fell to the sheet among the bits of flesh and leather. The driver ignored it. He worked methodically, his lips invisible, the muscles on his face tight across his cheekbones and jaw. Randy looked at the gunner. The gunner stared at the white thing lying on the rubber sheet amid the bits and pieces being washed from the turret. Not a muscle moved on the gunners face until he took the cigarette from his mouth and exhaled. The driver shut off the water. When he straightened up he looked down at the rubber sheet and saw the white thing lying on the rubber sheet. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, said the driver. He THE FURY / Spring 2012 / 10

reached into his pocket and took out a handkerchief. No, said the gunner. He unwound the silk scarf from his neck and held it out. Use this. The driver nodded. He took the scarf and wrapped the ball turret gunners jawbone in it. Then he put the bundle in his jacket pocket. Docll be sure Graves Registration gets this, he told the gunner. The gunner nodded. Then he shivered and turned up the collar of his jacket. The driver nodded at Randy. Randy carefully rolled up the rubber sheet and walked back to the truck with it. The driver turned the hose back on and washed the pink froth off the hardstand, into the grass beyond the concrete. Hey, Randy, he called. Turn that pump off. The driver coiled up the hose and put it back in the truck. When he turned back he could see the gunner standing by the bomber, looking at the wet spot on the concrete hardstand. Randy walked over to the gunner. Come on, pal. Well give you a lift back. The gunner shook his head. No. Ill stay here awhile and walk back. Randy started to say something else. Then he nodded and walked back to the truck. The corporals drove slowly away and left Big Bang, Baby! and her gunner to the witness of the fog and the bombers scarred, silent sisters.

Editorial Staff

Tom Burkhalter, Editor Kyle Kirby, Associate Editor Bob Morgan, Associate Editor Brian King, Associate Editor

Henry Busch model of DC-3 SA-R-1 as flown by Bob Morgan

THE FURY / Spring 2012 / 11

About the Hickory Aviation Museum

The Hickory Aviation Museum is a non-profit organization staffed by dedicated volunteers with a common obsession: the love of aviation! Admission is free and on the weekends it makes a wonderful outing for the whole family. Youngsters of all ages can sit in the pilots seat and dream! We as a group are dedicated to maintaining the facts and truths of the Golden Age of Aviation. Aviation artifacts and memorabilia from great airplanes and noteworthy aviation figures are on display. The Museum is also a gathering place for veterans of all wars and services to meet, tell stories, enjoy camaraderie or just hang out. This creates a priceless opportunity for the younger generation to learn and appreciate what their forebears contributed to the aviation history of this great nation of ours. The Museum is always growing. We add new exhibits and aircraft on a regular basis. We invite you to become a member and grow with us. You dont need a background in aviation, just an interest and the will to learn. Bring the youngsters along! Who knows, they could be future aviators. The membership fee for the whole family is nominal. Membership applications are available online at the Museum website, www.hickoryaviationmuseum.org, or at the Museum itself. We look forward to seeing you Saturdays, 10 am 5 pm, or Sunday from 1 pm 5 pm!

THE FURY / Spring 2012 / 12