|
Veteran airman returns to the skies decades later
It's been 60 years since Dwight Nesmith piloted a B-24 bomber in the last of 40 Air Force combat missions he flew during the latter stages of World War II. But as part of the Collings Foundation Wings of Freedom Tour's three-day stop in Manhattan in July, the 84-year-old Nesmith climbed aboard a restored Consolidated B-24 Liberator for a 30-minute flight. The bomber, along with a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, was on display at the Manhattan Regional Airport historic aircraft tour.Nesmith's flight was a Father's Day gift from his son, Thomas Nesmith of Albuquerque, N.M., who helped bring the Wings of Freedom Tour to Manhattan. He said his son had seen the bombers in New Mexico and learned the tour was making a stop in Kansas City. The tour will stop in 120 cities this year. "My son thought, as long as you're coming this close you might as well come to Manhattan," Nesmith said. "I haven't seen a B-24 since I got out of the service." The Collings Foundation asked for a $400 tax-deductible donation for the 30-minute flight. Nesmith said one of his neighbors questioned why someone would pay that much money to take off and land in the same place. "I told him every time I took off I was hoping I would land in the same place," Nesmith said. Posted by: Steve White 2004-08-02 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=39511 |