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AIRVENTURE TODAY
Hops for heroes: World War II vets get P-51 rides By Frederick A. Johnsen
H
arold Kronenberg came from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, on a mission: to fly in the jump seat of a P-51 Mustang at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2014. Kronenberg, who turns 90 soon, first learned of the P-51 about the time he was finishing his tour of duty as a B-17 ball turret gunner the day before D-Day, on June 5, 1944. His special AirVenture flight was made possible by Cowden Ward, who is on a mission to give as many free Mustang rides as he can to World War II veterans. “It’s one of the most gratifying things I’ve done,” Ward says. He started giving the rides last year, and tallies more than 65 veterans he has flown so far. For every five veterans carried, Ward’s Mustang, nicknamed Pecos Bill, is emblazoned with a “V” symbol. After a busy AirVenture, Ward says, “We hope to put about three more Vs on it.” Ward’s effort to honor World War II veterans complements the work he does with the non-profit Freedom Flyers group in Burnet, Texas, that hosts programs to get kids involved in aviation. Ward regrets that limited funds make it impossible to give rides to any vet from any era. “We can’t do enough for them,” he says. Ward has been known to pick up the tab for military members he sees in restaurants.
Veteran Harold Kronenberg saw the world from the ball turret of a B-17, based first in North Africa, then Italy, and finally England. He recalls the sighting mechanism in the ball, where a foot pedal moved vertical marks in the gunsight to frame the wingspan of an attacking fighter. He raises both hands, index fingers parallel, as he explains: “You framed the plane coming in.” This provided rudimentary ranging information. Kronenberg says his wartime weight of 160 pounds was about the maximum for the small, spherical belly turret. To be a ball turret gunner, “you’ve got to be small; free of claustrophobia,” he says with a chuckle. Among credits Kronenberg shares is a Presidential Unit Citation for bombing the French fleet at Toulon and Marseille. “We were afraid the Germans would get them,” he says, and the bombing was intended to remove these usable war prizes from possible German service. While stationed in Italy, he could hear heavy artillery bombardments 30 miles from his base—a compelling reminder of the hazards ground-based troops faced. Returning from his last combat mission on June 5, 1944, Kronenberg surveyed the vast Allied naval armada arrayed for D-Day. Civilian life saw Kronenberg go to college in Eau Claire. He played base-
ball and was drafted to play for teams in places like Allentown, awaiting the call to the major leagues, but it never came. Undaunted, Kronenberg came home to
PHOTO BY FREDERICK A. JOHNSEN
World War II veteran Harold Kronenberg rode the jump seat behind pilot Cowden Ward for a flight in Ward’s World War II P-51 Mustang fighter at EAA AirVenture 2014 in Oshkosh on July 29. Ward offers World War II veterans free flights in the Mustang as an acknowledgment for their service.
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Wisconsin where he served as a teacher and coach. He still coaches people in golf, when he’s not adding to his wartime memoirs.