2013 Fall Friends Journal Sampler

AI R

UM

RCE MUSE FO

FOUNDATION, INC.

Fall 2013 The Magazine of the Air Force Museum Foundation • www.airforcemuseum.com

Amelia Earhart wasn’t the only one. Read about other pioneering women aviators in the next issue of the Friends Journal.

The Air Force Museum Foundation, Inc. is a Section 501(c)(3) not-for profit organization. It is not part of the Department of Defense or any of its components, and it has no government status.

Vol. 36 No.3

THE AIR FORCE MUSEUM FOUNDATION, INC. BOARD OF MANAGERS

Col “Scoop” Cooper, USAF (Ret.) Executive Director, Air Force Museum Foundation

An idea that inspires and the pride and passion to see it through—this is the stuff that pioneers are made of. In this issue of your Friends Journal, we focus on true aviation pioneers—men and women who had a vision for change and led the way for others. We lead off with a little known facet of our aviation heritage: Lauretta Schimmoler and the Aerial Nurse Corps of America. Less than twenty years after the birth of aviation, Ms. Schimmoler asked: “Why can’t we evacuate wounded troops by air? And shouldn’t nurses have a key role in that mission?”

Think about the magnitude of that idea and the amount of courage it took to pursue it through countless naysayers. From there, fast forward to an exclusive interview with the Current AFMC Commander, Gen Janet Wolfenberger, and her insights into leading the command responsible for technology, acquisition, test, and sustainment of Air Force weapon systems during these challenging times. In addition to articles about fascinating pioneers, we feature one on a pioneering technology—the B-58, first supersonic bomber. Observations from three different crewmembers who flew the B-58 give you an up-close look at its performance.

Speaking of performance, I’d like to give a shout out to my Foundation teammates in the membership department for the great job they are doing.

For the last few months, Membership Business Unit Lead Matt Lynch has been leading an effort to increase memberships. With the help of newly-minted USMC 2ndLt Philip Coale, who we were blessed to have here for a few months meeting and making new friends in the lobby, renewals have gone up xxx amount and new memberships yyy amount.

In addition, our souvenir Museum map sales have we now reached a total of -----------dollars since we started offering them in May of this year (20,000 sold to date!). All this contributes to the expansion of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force with our proposed fourth building. In the Foundation’s efforts to support this, the members of its Board of Managers are also pioneers; for the first time in the Foundation’s history, the Board sponsored and signed a pledge to “pay forward” the large pledges we have received for the fourth building campaign.

Mark your calendars and get ready for the some big events in the coming months. The second annual Air Legacy Campaign will be kicking off November 1 on the Morphis MovieRide simulators in the second hangar.

This time the competition will include not just air-to-air but also the A-10 in the air-to-ground role. If the thought of killing tanks gets your fangs out, you’ll enjoy Museum Director General Hudson’s article here on “Cold War A-10 Flying”. So sharpen up your trigger finger and pickle button—and get ready for some fun in the simulators. Remember that organizations and individuals can compete for Top Gun honors.

In future issues, expect to see articles on the Shuttle CCT and our Air Force Astronauts in space, the B-1, and other tales from our Friends and others. Please remember that we are on final approach to land the Museum’s Fourth Building. If it’s at all possible for you to contribute to this worthy cause, we would be deeply grateful.

Check Six!

Scoop

Lt Gen (Ret.) Richard V. Reynolds - Chairman Mr. Gregory G. Lockhart - President Mr. Gary G. Stephenson - Vice President Maj Gen (Ret.) Charles S. Cooper III - Secretary Mr. Robert J. Suttman II, CFA - Treasurer Gen (Ret.) William J. Begert The Hon. Claude M. Bolton, Jr. Col (Ret.) Mark N. Brown Dr. Thomas J. Burns, PhD. Lt Gen (Ret.) Charles H. Coolidge, Jr. Ms. Frances A. Duntz Mr. David C. Evans Lt Gen (Ret.) Lawrence P. Farrell, Jr. Mr. Charles J. Faruki Col (Ret.) Michael B. Goetz Maj Gen (Ret.) E. Ann Harrell CMSgt (Ret.) Eric R. Jaren Col (Ret.) William S. Harrell Mr. Jon G. Hazelton Mr. Charles F. Kettering III Mr. Patrick L. McGohan Col (Ret.) Pamela A. Melroy Gen (Ret.) T. Michael Moseley Col (Ret.) Susan E. Richardson Gen (Ret.) Charles T. Robertson, Jr. Col (Ret.) James B. Schepley Mr. Scott J. Seymour Mr. Philip L. Soucy Mr. Harry W. (Wes) Stowers, Jr.

O

n April 18, 1942, 80 men achieved the unimaginable when they took off from an aircraft carrier on a topsecret mission to bomb Japan. Led by Lt Col Jimmy Doolittle, these men came to be known as the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders.

In December 1946 Doolittle and his fellow Raiders gathered to celebrate his birthday, and that event turned into an annual reunion.

The U.S.Air Force will host the famed Doolittle Tokyo Raiders’ final toast to their fallen comrades during an invitation-only ceremony on Nov. 9 at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. At this time, all four Raiders are planning to attend the event.

Speaking about the Raiders, Museum Director Lt Gen (Ret) Jack Hudson said, “We are deeply honored that they have chosen to have this final ceremony at our national museum.”

Among those scheduled to attend the ceremony to pay tribute to the Raiders are Air Force Acting Secretary Eric Fanning and Chief of Staff Gen Mark Welsh III.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE Lt Gen (Ret.) J. H. Hudson, Director Terrill Aitken, Senior Curator

FOUNDATION

Executive Director - Col (Ret.) “Scoop” Cooper Chief Development Officer - Col (Ret.) Mona Vollmer Membership Manager - Matt Lynch Development Coordinator - Pam Kluesner Membership Coordinator - Michele Giefer Membership Office: 1-877-258-3910 (toll free) or 937-656-9615

Friends Journal

Editor - Peggy Coale Art Director - Mark A. Riley Editorial Assistants - Bill Hughes, Joe King, Robert Pinizzotto Editorial Office: 937-656-9622 Cover Photo: Items from the Lauretta Schimmoler

collection at the Bucyrus Historical Society in Bucyrus, Ohio.

The Friends Journal is published quarterly by the Air Force Museum Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to the expansion and improvement of the National Museum of the United States Air Force and to the preservation of the history of the United States Air Force. Authors retain all rights to further publication or use. Author’s views expressed in the Friends Journal do not necessarily represent those of the Air Force Museum Foundation, Inc. or those of the United States Air Force.

Printed in the USA. USPS Standard ”A” rate postage paid at Dayton, OH. Subscription to the Friends Journal is included in the annual membership of the Friends of the Air Force Museum. All materials are Copyright 2013 and may not be reproduced without permission from the Air Force Museum Foundation. Submission of material for publication and correspondence concerning contents should be addressed to The Air Force Museum Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 1903, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433-1903, and marked in the corner of the envelope “ATTN: Editor.”

Today just four of the men survive: Lt Col Richard E. Cole, copilot of Crew No. 1; Lt Col Robert L. Hite, copilot of No. 16; Lt Col Edward J. Saylor, engineer-gunner of No. 15; and Staff Sgt David J. Thatcher, engineer-gunner of Crew 7.

Understandably, they have decided not to wait until only two remain to break open the cognac, but will hold their final toast this November at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

Doolittle Tokyo Raiders toast their fallen comrades at a Goblet Ceremony during an early reunion.

In 1959 the city of Tucson, Arizona, presented the Raiders with a set of silver goblets, each bearing the name of one of the 80 men who flew on the mission. Later, the president of the Hennessy Company gave Doolittle a bottle of cognac, vintage 1896, the year of Doolittle’s birth. Doolittle donated the cognac to the goblet collection. Doolittle’s copilot during the 1942 raid, Lt Col Dick Cole, built a portable display case for the goblets in 1973, to transport them to each reunion city.

In 2005 the surviving Doolittle Raiders decided to make the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force the permanent home for these historic goblets.

Over the years, these goblets have taken a highly symbolic place in the history of military aviation. At every reunion, the surviving Raiders meet privately to conduct their solemn “Goblet Ceremony.” After toasting the Raiders who died since their last meeting, they turn the deceased men’s goblets upside down. Each goblet has the Raider’s name engraved twice—so that it can be read if the goblet is right side up or upside down.

The plan has always been that the last two surviving Raiders would open the bottle of cognac and drink a final toast to their departed comrades.

The public will also have an opportunity to celebrate these World War II aviation heroes on November 9 through events that include a wreath-laying ceremony at the Doolittle Raiders memorial and a flyover of B-25 aircraft.

In addition, the Air Force Museum Theatre is planning to show Doolittle Raider and World War II-themed films. More details will be announced as the event nears at www.nationalmuseum. af.mil/doolittle.asp.

Doolittle’s goblet (upper left) in the portable display case of 80 goblets, on display in the WW II gallery at the Museum.

Replica of the bottle of 1896 Hennessy Very Special cognac on display with the toasting goblets.

XXX

Contents ARTICLES 4 “They said

it couldn’t be done”

Lauretta M. Schimmoler and

the Aerial Nurse Corps of America

9 Four-Star Leadership:

Embracing the Challenge

An interview with Gen Janet Wolfenbarger

12 Cold War A-10 Flying

by Lt Gen (Ret) John L. Hudson

14

For God, Country, and the Thrill of it

19

First and Foremost: Thomas Selfridge

23

Homage to the Hustler Reflections on Flying the Convair B-58

by Anne Noggle

by Dan Heaton

by Tony Fairbairn

28 Classic Aircraft

of the National Museum of The U.S. Air Force ®

31

The Spirit of Billy Mitchell

35

“What matters is how you perform”

38

Five Notable Women

by Walter J. Boyne

by Megan Turner

by Ryan Dickerson

46

“Women taught men to walk, they can teach them to fly!”

by Ann Cooper

DEPARTMENTS 2 Editor’s Notes and Feedback

41 Restoration Update

42

New Exhibits

50

Reunions

52 The Museum Store

Fall 2013 • Friends Journal

1

XXX EDITOR’s

NOTES

Amelia Earhart, Jacqueline Cochran—these are the names that most frequently come to mind when we think of female aviators. For many of us, that’s where our knowledge of women in aviation ends. Our research into the lives of other remarkable women in the field of aviation inspired us to devote this issue of the Friends Journal to their stories and those of other aviation pioneers.

Women have been involved in aviation from the very start, beginning perhaps with Katharine Wright, who provided both financial and moral support to her famous brothers. “If ever the world thinks of us in connection with aviation,” Wilbur Wright once remarked, “it must remember our sister.” Female barnstormers and wing walkers during the early years were among the most daring, setting records and testing limits while proving to a skeptical public the relative safety of flying. The Women Airforce Service pilots, or WASP, provided valuable service to our country during World War II and are an important part of Air Force history. This group of approximately 1,083 women flew every plane built by the United States—bombers, military transports, and fighters—helping to test and deliver those planes as well as train other pilots. In a parting salute to the WASP when their program was disbanded in 1944, Gen Hap Arnold told them, “You…have shown that you can fly wingtip to wingtip with your brothers.” Thus, when the Air Force first admitted women to pilot training programs in the late 1970s, it was hardly the first time women pilots had flown in service to their country.

In examining the lives of these extraordinary women, a trend emerges—almost always there was a pivotal moment or person who gave them the tools or the encouragement to pursue a dream: Lauretta Schimmoler witnessed Lt Macready’s daring high-altitude flights in Dayton, Ohio and was inspired to learn to fly. Anne Noggle first dreamed of becoming a pilot after seeing Amelia Earhart at an air show in Chicago. Mary Feik’s father taught her how to overhaul automobile engines in his repair shop when she was 13 years old, encouraging a skill and passion which she later turned to military aircraft engines. She was one of the first women in the field of aircraft maintenance when she took her first job at Seymour Field in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Today Seymour AFB is the home of the 4th Fighter Wing, led by the Air Force’s first active-duty, female fighter wing commander, Col Jeannie Leavitt. When Leavitt was a young girl, her father—a retired Missouri Air National Guardsman—often took her to air shows, where she became “fascinated by flying.” Years later, a female journalism student in North Carolina read a quote from 2

Friends Journal • Fall 2013

Col Leavitt and was inspired to interview her, with our encouragement. General Janet Wolfenbarger—the Air Force’s highest ranking woman—also credits her parents with providing a strong foundation and the encouragement to pursue an Air Force career, in her interview with the Friends Journal. Dorothy Swain Lewis, accomplished in both the fields of aviation and art, dedicated her life to being that pivotal person who encouraged others to pursue heights of excellence. As we were going to press with this issue, we learned of Dorothy’s “final flight,” just three weeks shy of her 98th birthday. Among her many legacies is a bronze statue honoring the WASP in the Museum’s courtyard.

In this issue are also stories of Billy Mitchell and Thomas Selfridge, important early aviation pioneers, and of the first supersonic bomber aircraft—the B-58 Hustler. We wonder if even Billy Mitchell could have predicted he’d be sharing pages in a magazine with a female fighter pilot or female four-star general!

The value of a journal such as ours is that by paying tribute to the women and men who forged a path for others to follow, we keep their stories—and names— alive, long after their contrails have left the sky. We hope after reading this issue of the Friends Journal, you’ll be inspired to pass it on to the next generation’s Lauretta, Anne, Mary, Jeannie, Janet, or Dorothy.

Peggy Coale Editor

The editor on a visit to the Bucyrus Historical Society in Bucyrus, Ohio.

XXX

Friends Feedback Tidal Wave Recollections This is in regards to “Tidal Wave Recollections” (summer Friends Journal, page 4). The B-24 coming out of the smoke over Ploesti Refinery (photo, page 7) is the Sandman flown by Robert W. Sternfels of the 34th Bomb Squadron, 98th Bomb Group. The picture was taken by the plane in front of him.

I have known Robert for 15 years. He lives near me, and we used to meet at Coco’s Restaurant every Wednesday in Newport Beach, California. In 1998 I had the pleasure of meeting General Smart who planned the [Operation Tidal Wave] mission; he has since passed away.

I went to the Fifteenth Air Force in October 1944. I flew 20 missions before the war ended. On my 18th mission, we lost two engines over Vienna. We flew past Zagreb, Yugoslavia at 5,000 feet. We had mountains on the coast at 6,000 feet. We bailed out past Zagreb, which was held by the Germans. All ten of us landed safely. We were picked up by the [partisan fighters] of General Michilovich. We were missing in action for a week. Took us three days by truck to [get to] Zara on the coast. From there we flew by C-47 to Bari, Italy for delousing and interrogation. Then back to the 97th BG where I did two more missions. The 97th was the first bomb group of the Eighth Air Force. I was discharged from Sioux Falls, SD on October 8, 1945 John Vasquez Santa Clara, California

About that photo...

The plane flying past the smoke stacks in the photo on page 7 was indeed the Sandman, piloted by Robert Sternfels. This iconic photo has been published many times, but almost always in reverse—with the smoke stacks to the right of the plane.

Acting on a tip that the photo has repeatedly been misprinted, we contacted Mr. Sternfels for comment. His response follows: I’m pleased you wrote to me about the famous Ploesti picture before printing it in your Friends Journal. John Blendell, the sergeant in charge of the 98th Bomb Group photo section, was ordered by our leader, Col John Kane, to develop a system to photograph the action for the forthcoming Ploesti raid.

to reflect action at the rear. A camera inside the plane focused on the external mirror.

This proved to solve the problem; however, the film processor was not informed of this system. Therefore, when he printed the negative, the photo depicted the actual scene in the reverse order. Many years later a historian named William Whitney from Utah wrote me that the photo was not correct. At first I disagreed but then I took a serious look at the photo. The smoke stacks were on my RIGHT, not left, so the negative should have been reversed before printing.

Do I remember the exact moment of this event? You bet I do! Even though I’m almost 93 years old, I still remember having to make a split-second decision to lift my right wing to keep from contacting the brick smokestacks. It looks like I missed the stacks by 25 feet.

Thank you for not compounding an error.

Maj Bob Sternfels, USAFR (Ret) Newport Beach, California

Murphy’s Law Just received the Summer issue of Friends Journal.

Another great job. I read the Flight Plan, noting that the issue would contain stories about “When things go wrong.” Next thing I knew I was on page 3, reading about things that had gone wrong in the previous issue.

I assume Col John Paul Stapp, given credit for naming Murphy’s Law, is the same fellow I remember from elementary school. His photo, taken during his rocket sled tests, was featured in My Weekly Reader. Needless to say, grade school boys were fascinated by the image of his face rippling under extreme G-forces.

John Fry San Diego, CA

Taking pictures from the side of the plane required a faster shutter speed than the cameras they had to get sharp photos, so John determined it would be necessary to place the camera at the rear of the plane, to shoot action from behind. The placement of the gun turret at the rear meant the camera could not be mounted there, so Blendell decided to place a mirror outside the plane, Fall 2013 • Friends Journal

3