2013 B-57 Canberra Association Reunion Business meeting Meeting was called to order by President Gayle Johnson at 0900 hours on October 5, 2013 at the Hope Hotel and Conference Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. Gayle gave welcoming remarks and thank you to attendees. He then introduced four new members; three in attendance were: Russell Tucker - WWII veteran flew B-57 tow target model out of Yuma AFB, AZ in 1957-8. Ray Briscoe - Flew EB-57 out of Malmstrom AFB, MT Al Hurst - Flew EB-57 out of Westover AFB, MA Not in attendance: Chuck Jones - Flew WB-57F out of Kirtland AFB, NM 2013-2015 Officers are: President Dave Baird Vice President Don Shields Secretary Barbara LeBlanc Treasurer Bob Wicklepleck Immediate Past President Gayle Johnson Gayle expressed his thanks to Mel Eisaman, Immediate Past President and Herbie Friesen, Vice President for their service and contribution to the Association. Treasurer's report - $10,550.71 in the bank. Website- Gayle gave an update and stated the the site should be up by the end of the month. He thanked David LeBlanc for his efforts in getting it organized and his initial work. Member Phil Dunn will be our webmaster and he is working with member Mark Witt, originated the site. We will be keeping www.b-57canberra.org domain. 2015 and 2017 Association Reunion sites: There was discussion about Las Vegas and Seattle sites; Seattle was voted on for 2015. Washington DC was selected over Nashville for 2017. Gayle talked about the decommissioning of the B-57 delivered to the Smithsonian Institute National Air and Space Museum in 1981 and his letter(attachment 1) to it’s Director, General John R. Dailey, USMC (Retired). Attachment 2 is General Dailey’ reply letter. He also mentioned assistance from Vermont Air Guard retired Colonel Dick Strifert and his letter to Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT). See attachment 2 for Senator Leahy’s response. An update on the Pickle Barrel. The Pickle Barrel was the 3rd Bomb Wing’s bombing competition award given to the winning squadron(between the 8th, 13th and 90th Bomb Squadrons) for their best performance during the past three months. It has been missing for many years. A lot of discussion on it’s history and the efforts to locate it. Our two experts, Bob Mikesh and Chuck Jones were not is attendance, so further talk was deferred until after the meeting. Several of our members are having health medical issues. Attendees gave an update based on their various communications with the members. The meeting concluded at 1015 hours. Respectfully submitted, Gayle P. Johnson President Attachment 1: Gayle’s letter to Smithsonian Institute 2: General Dailey’s to Gayle Attachment 3: Senator Leahy’s letter to Colonel Strifert April 22, 2013 General John R. Dailey. USMC (Retired) Director National Air and Space Museum Post Office Box 37012, MRC 312 Washington DC 20013-7012 Subject: Deaccessing the B-57 aircraft Dear General Dailey, A public announcement has been made by the National Air and Space Museum that our B-57 in the National Aeronautical Collection of the Smithsonian Institution is to be deaccessed. This Canberra was requested of the Air Force by the National Air and Space Museum in 1976 and delivered in 1981, placed in storage ever since. Its purpose for being in the collection is to represent our bomber force during the Cold War period. Selecting the smallest size in the inventory was a major consideration, and the B-57 was the obvious choice. All the components necessary to revert the airplane from an "EB" to a "B" configuration are with the airplane. The collection does not have, nor is slatted to have a bomber that is later than the 1945 B-29 Enola Gay. This coming September will be a bi-annual B-57 Canberra Association gathering at Wright-Patterson AFB. I am certain that this subject will be talked about at great length and with indignation. We are "bomber people" and there seems to be nothing to represent our force over the past five-plus decades of aviation in our National Air and Space Museum. For its relative diminutive size, and with eight consecutive years flying combat in the Vietnam War, what a better example to include to recognize this service? As president of our association, I would like to have something positive to convey to those attending that will alleviate our disappointment that we all feel by having the Canberra bomber stricken from the collection. I hope that I can report that a change of planning has taken place and that the B-57 will be reinstated appropriately in the overall exhibit planning and repositioning. On behalf of members of the B-57 Canberra Association, we ask that you rescind the plan to delete the record copy B-57 in the collection. Our aircrew numbers have served one or more Vietnam combat tours in the Canberra, many have stood 15 minute alert in Korea ready to deliver special weapons during the Cold War period, along with many other assorted missions; reconnaissance, weather sampling, defense evaluation, air sampling and others. Our crew members are at the stage of life of rapidly diminishing. It is my hope, and it is our hope that I can take a message to our reunion that our national air museum has reevaluated the significance of having a Canberra in the collection to represent, though slightly, our bomber-force air mission. During the planing stage of the Hazy Center, the B-57 was to be on display. Can that plan be reinstated? Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Gayle P. Johnson, President B-57 Canberra Association 1218 Juneau Street Watertown WI 53098-3330 Tel: (920) 261-3879 email: gaylepj35@att.net |