Arc Light - Young Tiger Reunion

Tuesday, June 16

Our trip to Dayton, Ohio is to attend the semi-annual get-together of the crews of B-52's (Arc Light) and KC-135's (Young Tiger) that flew combat in the Vietnam War.  This reunion is a special one.  It was 50 years ago this month that the first combat missions were flown by B-52's.  We are here to rekindle old friendships, recall those events that draw us together, and to remember our fallen comrades.

Monday night we had dinner with the group and today there are no scheduled events.

One of the recommendations for the day was to visit the Wright B Flyer Museum.  Clara went on a shopping tour with the ladies, so I decided to see what the Wright B Flyer Museum was all about. And boy, I am glad I did.

The Wright "B" Flyer is a flyable look-alike of the world's first mass-produced airplane, manufactured in the Wright Company factory in Dayton from 1910 to 1911.  The look-alike was built by a group of local aviation enthusiasts and the airplane is housed in a hangar that is similar to the Wright Brothers 1910 hangar at Huffman Prairie field.

What makes this museum unique is that not only can you see the replicas of the Wright Flyer, but you can actually fly in it.

Needless to say, I immediately signed up to fly.

There's a difference between a replica and a "look-alike".  The look-alike is certified by the FAA as an experimental aircraft.  It has instruments like you might find in a small civilian aircraft.

Anxiously waiting to fly

My Pilot Jim Wilson.  Jim flew U-2's in the Air Force and now volunteers at the museum 

After the engine is started, I carefully climb aboard

And get the seat belts hooked up and tightened (real tight).  You will note that the pilot and crew sit in front of everything.  

Now, this is not what you would ordinarily consider a real flight.  The pilot taxis the airplane to the end of a 5,000 foot runway, gets on the runway, takes off (at 45 mph) flies about 3/4 of the way down the runway(at 45 mph), and lands (at 45 mph).

This is all there is between you and mother earth

That may not sound very exciting, but you'd have to be there (or at least understand this from a pilots point of view) to understand.

The aircraft is certified as experimental by the FAA and the Museum and volunteer staff are extremely limited in what they can offer.  In fact, they can't "sell" you a flight, but if you make a $100 donation, they will take you on the flight.  They can't leave the airport.  Therefore the "flight" down the runway.

It was all worth it, and I'd do it again given the chance.  And Neil Armstrong had sat in the same seat, but he took a longer flight.

"Pretending"

After the flight, I rode in this 1916 Model T "Staff Car" out to the runway to watch the next flight

Wednesday, June 17

Today is tour day.  And rain day!

We boarded a bus for a tour of some of the aviation history found in Dayton.

As we (all North Carolinians) know, the first flight by the Wright Brothers was at Kitty Hawk, NC in 1903.  However, as any Ohioian will tell you, Ohio, and Dayton specifically, is the birthplace of aviation.  And it is celebrated here in Dayton in an impressive manner and in many places.

Today, even though it did rain, we toured The Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center where the brothers bicycle shop and home are preserved.

Huffman Prairie was where the Wright Brothers really learned to fly

The Wright Brothers used a tower like this to hold a weight that, when released, catapulted their aircraft into the air (somewhat like today's aircraft carrier)

Tonight we had dinner with Hal and Susie Martin, J. T. Plummer, and Tony and Jill.  We all flew at Blytheville AFB, Arkansas.

Thursday, June 18

Happy Birthday to me!

And Clara forgot.  Thankfully, Slade called early.  And Anna called.  At this point, it's best to forget birthdays, so I'm somewhat thankful Clara did forget.

Today was total immersion in aviation history.

I had not heard of the Presidential Aircraft Museum before.  Last night someone mentioned it, so now it's a must see.

This museum is temporary while the Air Force Museum is expanded to handle the aircraft that are more or less stored in these two huge hangers.  These hangers are open to those who can get on base (i.e. have a military ID card), so it is not visited very much.  There were less than a dozen people there while I spent two hours totally enjoying the freedom.  These aircraft aren't protected by barricades and ropes, so you can get up close and walk through the aircraft.

There are two sections (hangars).  One hanger houses former Presidential Aircraft, (http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/exhibits/presidential/index.aspand) the other houses experimental aircraft.

I was immediately drawn to the Presidential Aircraft.  Especially Aircraft number 26000.  It is probably the most famous of all the aircraft here.  It is the one that flew President John Kennedy to Dallas on the day he was assassinated, the one the President Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as President, and the one that carried President Kennedy:s body back to Washington.

President Kennedy and President Johnson
Facts:  http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=570

Walking through the aircraft there is this sign which states "After the death of President Kennedy, Vice President Johnson was sworn in as President in this area.  In the back of the aircraft there is another sign showing where the crew cut out a portion of the seating and panels so that President Kennedy's coffin could be carried in dignity with the rest of the passengers rather than being placed in the cargo area.

The other Presidential aircraft included:

President Harry Truman
Facts:  http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=567

President Eisenhower
Facts:  http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=568

If you don't want to see pictures of aircraft, you can stop now.  There are some really strange and fascinating aircraft in the 2nd hanger.

X-15

XB-70 landing gear

XB-70

Tonight was extremely special!  

It's very difficult to describe the emotions and memories that flooded back from another time and place.

We had our banquet for the Arc Light-Young Tiger group at the Air Force Museum - right next to the B-52 D which flew in combat as part of the Arc Light missions.  All of us had flown either this plane or one like it during the Vietnam War.  I had flown in 94 combat missions.  One of group had flown 363 combat missions.

And here we are, sitting in the shadow of this most incredible airplane, drinking wine and enjoying an evening of food and camaraderie.

Not one of us could have ever imagined that we would be sitting here this evening, 50 years to the day after the first combat mission in a B-52.  We were reminded and remembered some of our fellow crew members who did not come back.  Every one of us knew someone who did not return.

It is impossible for me to put in words the emotions and feelings of tonight. Moments of terror; excitement at seeing parts of the world that I had never seen; developing close relationships with the guys with whom I flew combat; moments of incredible beauty looking out over an endless horizon of clouds at sunsets from 40,000 feet; the feeling of pride as 6 men performed their individual tasks culminating in a beautifully orchestrated team working together to bring this complex collection of nuts and bolts into an amazing machine of war.  It all floods back - as we sit here having dinner in the presence of this magnificent airplane.

For those not familiar with the term "Arc Light", it is the name given to the mission of the B-52's that flew in the Vietnam War (and Young Tiger is the name given to the KC-135's that flew in that war).

Tony and Jill

A C-97 towered over us at dinner

The most awesome thing in the building

Traveling to Dayton Ohio

Wednesday, June 10

Tonight, we find ourselves once again at Lake Jordan State Park.  I think this is at least the third time this year.  Of course, there's a very special attraction near here that we really enjoy - our grandchildren.

We had a calm, casual trip today.  We stopped by Cherry Point MCAS and got a base sticker for the motor home.  It makes getting on a military base a little easier.

We picked up Evan and Anna at their home in Cary.  Driving the narrow streets in the subdivision with the car in tow was a bit of a challenge.

We set up on a beautiful lot in the park right next to the swimming area at Lake Jordan.  We all got in the water for a nice afternoon, then Slade brought pizza out for supper.

A great way to start a trip.

Thursday, June 11

I am again reminded why we enjoy the motor home style of life.  Going to new places!

We have always heard about and passed near Pilot Mountain, just Northwest of Winston Salem, on our way to and from Spruce Pine. But we had never ventured to the sentinel in the Piedmont of NC.

So this morning, after breakfast at IHOP with Anna and Evan, we drove the two hours to a small
RV park just outside Pilot Mountain State Park.

This little park, Greystone RV Park, has only about a dozen spaces, but it looks out at Pilot Mountain.

This afternoon while Clara took a nap, I drove over to the park and up to near the top.

The views are great from near the top (you can't climb to the top of the rock outcrop).

Pilot Mountain is one of the most visible and recognizable geologic formation in the Piedmont of North Carolina.  The prominent pinnacle towers above the surrounding landscape.

Pilot Mountain has been a local landmark long before the early settlers inhabited the area.  Early native Americans used the pinnacle as a navigation aid in the area.  In fact, the name Pilot Mountain is a translation of "Jomeokee", the Indian name for the formation meaning "Great Guide" or "Pilot".

I hiked for a couple of miles to where I could see the RV Park we're staying in from near the top.  I knew that if I could see the mountain from the RV Park, I could certainly find a place on the mountain that I could see the RV Park.

After dinner this evening in the town of Pilot Mountain, we drove back up to the top so Clara could see the view.

Friday, June 12

We picked a spot about an hour and a half drive to go to today, but managed to get completely lost on the way.  Actually, we decided to take a short detour to Mount Airy, made famous by Andy Griffith using it as his "Mayberry". We figured there had to be some place near downtown that we could park this big beast - NOT!

The smaller the town, the bigger this thing gets.  And before we knew it, we were finding ourselves on little side streets and soon we were completely turned around.  Not even the GPS could help us.

We eventually got on a road that took us to the where we wanted to go.

We seem to be lucky in finding out of the way campgrounds that are the greatest.  Tonight, we picked a Forest Service Campground a few miles off the interstate, Stony Fork.  It is a quiet, secluded campground in the Virginia Mountains that is popular with the locals.  If we had time, we'd stay at least another day.

Having arrived early in the afternoon, we got out the chairs and hammock, and really enjoyed a quiet afternoon.

Saturday, June 13

Beckley, West Virginia

Another big driving day, at least two hours to Beckley, West Virginia.

I have been here several times in the past when I worked as a USAF Reservist Liaison with the Civil Air Patrol.  We had several of the cadet activities in which I was involved at the National Mine and Safety Academy .  However, I remember nothing about the town - I probably never even came into town.

Beckley is in the heart of West Virginia coal mining country.  The primary reason for stopping today is Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine.  I noted that there is an RV park as part of the complex, so we stopped.

This afternoon while Clara recovered from the long drive, I did the tour of the coal mine and its ancillary facilities.  The highlight is the  tour below ground, under the supervision of an experienced veteran coal miner. Traveling 1,500 feet beneath the hill along a track riding authentic "man cars" to the old working areas of the coal mine.  The mine was operated in the late 1800's

Riding the "man car" deep into the coal mine

Our tour guide, an experienced veteran miner explained to us how mining was done from the 1800's to today.

Above ground, there are vestiges of what an old mining town was like, along with a museum of mining and old log homes that have been restored.

Guess what this is?

Overall, it was very interesting.  I certainly have a new appreciation of what it must be like to be a miner.  I'm glad I did something else.

For Anna and Evan:  There's an old school house (shown on the right of the picture above).  These are some of the "Prohibitions" of the students when they attended school.

• Boys are forbidden 
• to buy or sell, borrow or lend, give, take, or exchange anything except fruit or other eatables, without the teacher's permission
• To read any book in school except such as contain the reading lesson of his class
• To throw pens, paper, or anything whatever, on the floor or out a window or door.
• To spit on the floor
• To climb on any fence, railing, ladder, etc., about the school house
• To take out an inkstand, meddle with the contents of another's desk, unnecessarily open or shut his own
• To quit school without having finished his copy
• to use a knife, except on the conditions prescribed
• To meddle with ink unnecessarily
• To study home lesson in school hours
• To pass noisily, or upon the run, from one room to another, or through the entries
• To play in the play ground before school

And lots more.

And then there are the punishments:

                                                                    Lashes

Boys and Girls playing together                          4

Gambling at school                                            4

Telling lies                                                       7

Giving each other ill names                                 8

Swearing at school                                             8

For misbehaving to girls                                     10

For wearing long fingernails                                2

(Boys) For going to girls play places                    3

(Girls) For going to boys play places                    3

Coming to school with dirty faces and hands         2

For calling each other liars                                   4

And lots more.

Sunday, June 14

I guess I should have studied the maps a little better and planned our stops with more consideration as to driving time.  Whereas, up until today, we've been driving 2-3 hours each day, today we ended up driving nearly 6 hours, breaking all the rules of driving either from 10 am to 2 pm or 200 miles, whichever comes first.

We drove for nearly 6 hours today and it really tired us out.  We are really spoiled.

And the place we have ended up is as much of a surprise as Stony Fork was back in Virginia.  Only in a totally different way.  We are at Caesar Creek State Park, just a few miles (maybe 30) South of Dayton, Ohio - our destination.

When making the reservations, I assumed that being this close to a large city, and being on a lake, and being a weekend that we would lucky to get a space here.  It sounded like the ideal campground - like Lake Jordan.

Much to our surprise, although a relatively nice campground, with electric service to every site (only 20 amp though - enough to run only one of the three air conditioners), the place is almost deserted.  There are about 300 spaces in the park and I doubt that more than 30-40 are occupied.  I'm not sure at all as to why, but for us, it's a good deal - we had our pick of sites.

A long driving day today will be followed by a good nights sleep and a short drive to Wright Patterson AFB tomorrow.

Monday, June 15

After a short drive, we're settled in at the FamCamp (Military for RV park) at Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio.  Still recovering from yesterday's long drive.