thedrifter
09-18-09, 08:37 AM
September 18, 2009
WW II Veterans celebrated during Air Museum event
Terria Smith
terria.smith@thedesertsun.com
Gene Morgan, a World War II and Korean War veteran, celebrated his 87th birthday at the Palm Springs Air Museum's open house Saturday.
“This is my special party today,” said Morgan, a former lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy.
The event was put together by the museum to honor the 64th anniversary of the end of World War II and pay tribute to veterans such as Morgan, said Sharon McGuire, president and chief executive officer of the museum.
“So many of our veterans we're losing so fast. We just wanted to have a day to honor them. We wanted to bring in the community to come visit with them,” McGuire said.
Different planes, with veterans who flew the same models, were highlighted throughout the day.
Morgan, who also volunteers as a greeter at the museum, said he flew an FPF-5 Hellcat fighter in 1953.
The day included activities for children, aircraft tours, helicopter rides and flight demonstrations.
Angelica Rao, a 17-year-old staff sergeant with the Desert Cities Young Marines, said she had been to the museum five times and appreciates the history it teaches visitors.
“(I) learned about how many different aircraft there are and how many wars they've fought,” said Rao, who is also a sergeant with the Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program at Desert Hot Springs High School.
Rao and her 9-year-old sister, Rebecca Gutierrez, took a tour inside “Miss Angela,” a Boeing B-17 flying fortress.
“It was scary. I thought I was gonna fall,” said Rebecca, who will soon become a private or private first class in the Desert Cities Young Marines.
Deborah Proch, Rao and Rebecca's mother, said it was the first time she had been to the museum and she also appreciated learning about the history of World War II.
“This was something before even my time — before even my mom's time,” Proch said.
McGuire said the event is an opportunity for veterans “to tell their stories again” and teach young people something they may not have learned about in school.
“If organizations like the air museum won't teach this history, who will?” McGuire said.
http://cmsimg.gdn.mydesert.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=J1&Date=20090918&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=909170381&Ref=AR&Profile=1143&MaxW=318&Border=0
Ellie
WW II Veterans celebrated during Air Museum event
Terria Smith
terria.smith@thedesertsun.com
Gene Morgan, a World War II and Korean War veteran, celebrated his 87th birthday at the Palm Springs Air Museum's open house Saturday.
“This is my special party today,” said Morgan, a former lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy.
The event was put together by the museum to honor the 64th anniversary of the end of World War II and pay tribute to veterans such as Morgan, said Sharon McGuire, president and chief executive officer of the museum.
“So many of our veterans we're losing so fast. We just wanted to have a day to honor them. We wanted to bring in the community to come visit with them,” McGuire said.
Different planes, with veterans who flew the same models, were highlighted throughout the day.
Morgan, who also volunteers as a greeter at the museum, said he flew an FPF-5 Hellcat fighter in 1953.
The day included activities for children, aircraft tours, helicopter rides and flight demonstrations.
Angelica Rao, a 17-year-old staff sergeant with the Desert Cities Young Marines, said she had been to the museum five times and appreciates the history it teaches visitors.
“(I) learned about how many different aircraft there are and how many wars they've fought,” said Rao, who is also a sergeant with the Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program at Desert Hot Springs High School.
Rao and her 9-year-old sister, Rebecca Gutierrez, took a tour inside “Miss Angela,” a Boeing B-17 flying fortress.
“It was scary. I thought I was gonna fall,” said Rebecca, who will soon become a private or private first class in the Desert Cities Young Marines.
Deborah Proch, Rao and Rebecca's mother, said it was the first time she had been to the museum and she also appreciated learning about the history of World War II.
“This was something before even my time — before even my mom's time,” Proch said.
McGuire said the event is an opportunity for veterans “to tell their stories again” and teach young people something they may not have learned about in school.
“If organizations like the air museum won't teach this history, who will?” McGuire said.
http://cmsimg.gdn.mydesert.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=J1&Date=20090918&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=909170381&Ref=AR&Profile=1143&MaxW=318&Border=0
Ellie