The 15th Annual Wings Over Gillespie took place June 4-6 and and an estimated 10,000 spectators came to see a variety of vintage aircraft including a C-53 that dropped troops into Normandy on D-Day 1944. The D-Day Doll relived its past glory when re-enactors parachuted from the plane as it passed low over Gillespie Field to engage "the enemy" in mock battles. Other aircraft either on static display or actually flying included a Lockheed 10-Electra (think Amelia Earhart), a P-51 Mustang (the same type of plane that escorted heavy bombers over Europe), and the futuristic Northrup N9M Flying Wing (circa 1942) - a forerunner of the current B-2 bomber.
Opening day, Friday, was the annual education day for which volunteers of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) coordinated with local schools months before the event.
Children as young as third grade up to too-cool-for-school high schoolers attended the opening day this year. Young elementary kids “oohed” and “ahhed” over biplanes, Yaks and a P-51 “Mustang.” Many of them pointed out cool aircraft to their friends, while others jumped up and down in excitement. Older students sat in the lobby of the terminal building and listened to stories of The War told by U.S. Army Air Corps veterans, Fred Kennie, Del Laudner, Harvey Greenfield and Fredrick “Fritz” Marston - all POWs.
During a presentation to Chaparral High School students, Greenfield said, “The most important thing for you to take away from today is that we weren’t too much older than you when we were fighting this war.” At that point, each student sat noticeably straighter and started to engage. They raised their hands and asked questions about being prisoners of war; what it was like to be in the war; and what kinds of weapons took down their planes.
Out on the tarmac, re-enactors gave informational tours around the D-Day Doll. Al Riker, decked out in his uniform, gave Barona Indian Charter students information about a Cessna “Bird Dog” while Eddie Lindros, owner of a ’79 Mooney, escorted Longfellow Elementary students around a 1943 Stearman. One student asked Lindros if the plane was his at which point he said, “This is my plane,” while showing off a photo of his Mooney – his photo was met with a chorus of “ooohhhh…”
Each day we lose hundreds from The Greatest Generation. The kids attending Friday’s education day were given a rare opportunity to hear first-hand stories from a handful of them while being exposed to historical World War II aircraft; not to mention some time away from school.
Sarah Solis
1943 Stearman
Chaparral High School students
Al Riker & Barona Indian Charter
Wings Over Gillespie Education Day 2010
Greenfield, Marston & Laudner
Lindros talking to Longfellow Elementary students
