The official publication of the
7th Bomb Wing B-36 Association

XXVI NO. 1     FEB 2005

Email address: b36asn7bw@aol.com Web site: www.7bwb-36assn.org

At our age, opportunity does not waste a lot of time knocking at our door. If you don’t believe that, just open your membership directory to the Last Flight Memoriam. Did you miss an opportunity to visit with some of those old friends at the last reunion? Now thumb through the directory and recall events as you focus on names of those you worked and played with at Carswell. Wouldn’t it be nice to see them at the 2005 reunion?  You can make it happen. Be there and ask your friends to be there too. Their addresses are right in front of you.

The last section of the directory contains the association bylaws, and the last article is entitled DISSOLUTION. It states, "Without exception, dissolution of the association will be initiated no later than the first day of July 2010". If we have membership participation, we can have reunions in 2007 and 2009. If not, dissolution will occur before 2010. Let’s not miss the opportunity to keep our Association alive.

HOWARD E. HUNT

I was referred to you from the B-36 forum. My name is Troy Hunt, and I'm looking for information on my grandfather, Howard E. Hunt. My understanding is that he was a navigator on a B-36, probably based out of Carswell AFB in Ft. Worth, and would have been any rank between lieutenant and major at the time. He had flown in the Berlin Airlift prior to this, and later went on to fly missions in Lockheed Constellations with the hurricane spotters, finally retiring as a Lt. Colonel.

At some point, he was stationed at James Connally AFB in Waco, TX, where my father met my mother. He died before I was old enough to be interested in his stories, and now I'm trying to gather information on his career after the fact.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer, or any additional sources of information you can refer me to. If you would like to contact me directly, I'm at troy@troyhunt.net.

 

IT’S NOT WHO YOU KNOW, IT’S NOT WHAT YOU KNOW

IT’S WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW

(Senior Citizen Version)

Are you lonesome tonight? Does your tummy feel tight? Did you bring your Mylanta and Tums?

Does your memory stray, to that bright sunny day, when you had all your teeth and your gums?

Is your hairline receding, your eyes growing dim? Hysterectomy for her and its prostate for him.

Does your back give you pain? Do your knees predict rain?

Tell me dear, are you lonesome tonight?

Is your blood pressure up? Good cholesterol down? Are you eating your low fat cuisine?

All that oat bran and fruit, Metamucil to boot, helps you run like a well oiled machine.

If it’s football or baseball, he sure knows the score. Yes, he knows where it’s at but forgets what it’s for.

So your gallbladder’s gone, but your gout lingers on.

Tell me dear, are you lonesome tonight?

When you’re hungry he’s not, when you’re cold, he is hot. Then you start that old thermostat war.

When you turn out the light, he goes left you go right. Then you get his great symphonic snore.

He was once so romantic, so witty and smart. How did he turn out to be such a cranky old fart?

So don’t take any bets. It’s as good as it gets.

Tell me dear, are you lonesome tonight?

(DICK GEORGE)

It saddens all who work so hard to organize the bi-ennial reunions to see the rapid decline in membership experienced since the turn of the century. Many of you will recall the events of the early days when we had to rent the Will Rogers Roundup Inn to handle the some 800 who attended. The support of this group made the association fiscally sound and freebies flowed like the low priced drinks arranged by our president Bill Hunter (dec). I am afraid the carefree days are about over as we reach the autumn of our lives. Our major losses can be found in the Last Flight Memoriam section of the association’s directory. The number of deceased has grown from approximately 500 in the 1988 Directory to approximately 1875 in the February 2004 Directory. These losses are beyond anyone’s control. But, there are also over 1200 names on the Member List in the latter directory, some with incorrect addresses and/or personal data. Lack of any recent contact with many of this group deprives us of knowing their current status. With your help, we should be able to round them up for the next three reunions and update the directory. So, let’s get after the foot-draggers to wipe out their dues default and join the crowd at the 2005 Reunion in April 21-24 at the Holiday Inn South in Fort Worth,

There are presently 342 Life Members. Only 152 of the remaining 700 have not defaulted on their dues. You may have forgotten that the annual dues were lowered to $5 and $3 (former spouses) and $50 for Life memberships. You can see the dilemma faced with diminishing funds and three reunions to go. That is the reason you will find some charges on your registration form, which have never been there before. Not much, but a little. Our bylaws call for dissolution of the association July 1, 2010. If dues receipts continue to fall as drastically as in 2004, dissolution may become imperative on an earlier date. Your address label shows the year to which your dues were/are current. Please wipe out the defaults and send in your dues.

BUT IF YOU THINK YOU CAN WHEN YOU CAN’T, YOU MIGHT

(The Beat Goes On)

The saga of where and how to find a home for B-36 52-2827 continues unabated with two organizations vying for the job. I believe the B-36Peacemaker Museum, Inc (BPM). will win out since they are the ones actually working to build a museum. The site – MEACHAM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

The City of Fort Worth is beginning to get in the act at long last. A large glassed-in display room has been created for the BPM immediately inside the front entrance of the Meacham Terminal Building where a museum will be established. The ultimate plan is to provide a chronological aviation history of North Texas, Meacham Field and the Fort Worth Area. There will also be dynamic displays such as F-111 simulator, Microsoft Flight Simulator with B-36 capability, ejection seat, and other active educational displays. The focus will be on telling the story of aviation in the north central Texas area. But, what of our beloved B-36?

Immediately to the north of the terminal is a 120,000 square feet area currently leased by some Middle East country on which sits a derelict Boeing 727. The city is arranging a new lease with the owners in another area on the airport, thus freeing a place for the B-36. A beautiful 100,000 square feet building to house the bird has been designed by Newton Fallis, an architect from this area. He has contributed his expertise and devoted many hours to the project – gratis. Once all the approvals are obtained, reassembly of the aircraft can begin. One of the most vital is approval by the USAF Museum people who actually own the plane. A package presenting the BPM plan is presently in their hands. Our association has been asked to prepare one of the display panels addressing the history of Carswell AFB with emphasis on the B-36 operations.

(Dick George)

Coach Phil George will be our banquet speaker this year. You last heard his humorous entertaining commentary at the 1989 reunion. He graduated from flying school in Class 44-E at Douglas, AZ and flew in the China-Burma-India Theater of operations until he was demobilized in 1946. He holds a Masters Degree in Education and is a retired Lieutenant Colonel.

Upon graduation from the University of Texas in 1949, where he was a member of the elite UT basketball teams of the late forties, he took a coaching position at San Angelo Junior College (now a four year school named Angelo State University.) Within seven years he won the National Junior College Basketball Championship. His teams continued to be a powerhouse in their conference and won numerous awards and championships for Angelo State University and titles and honors for himself.

Coach George never lost his love for flying and continued to fly with USAF Reserve units at Bergstrom, Big Springs and Kelly. He became the only man I know with a 21-year break in service when his C-124 Squadron was activated to fly in Vietnam. While on active duty he was promoted to Director of Athletics attesting to his prowess in the field of athletics and the desire of Angelo State to retain him upon release from active duty. He finally retired from this position in the late eighties.

Coach George really has many titles, some of which he chooses not to speak. I believe the one he loves best is "Husband of Toddy", his wife of 55 years. Personally, I am very fond of his title Little Brother.

FROM YOUR CHAPLAIN’S DESK

(BILL MINELLI)

My good friends of the B-36 Association I want to tell you that I am hoping that you will consider attending this year’s reunion. We have to take in consideration our age factor, and with that in mind, we know that there may not be time left for the next one. So I am planning a very special and caring Memorial Service for our men and women who have taken their Last Flight.

We are at war and Memorial Services become much more meaningful than at peacetime.

Our prayers are for our troops serving in the war zone, that GOD will keep them safe from danger and bring them home safely to their families.

GOD, you gave us faith, hope and inspiration in our advanced years of life. Hopefully it will help encourage prayer and bring peace and tranquility into our life. May it be a reminder of GOD’S love for each of us in HIS many blessings. GOD willing, I am looking forward to seeing all of you in April

May GOD touch you all with HIS loving hands. Amen

LAST FLIGHT

I’d like the memory of me to be a happy one,

I’d like to leave an afterglow of smiles when life is done.

I’d like to leave an echo whispering softly down the ways,

Of happy times and laughing times and bright and sunny days.

I’d like the tears of those who grieve to dry before the sun,

Of happy memories that I leave when life is done.

RIN wife of LTC FRANK KLEINWECHTER

AND SINGS IT BACK TO YOU WHEN YOU’VE FORGOTTEN HOW IT GOES.

__________________________________________________________________________________

SATURDAY 23 APRIL

MEMORY ROOM 0800-0900 Coffee and Rolls, Hotel Comp!

MEMORIAL SERVICE 0900-0945

BUSINESS MEETING 1000-1100

SOCIAL HOUR 1700-1900 Upper Atrium Cash Bar, Keg of Free Beer!

` BANQUET 1900-2200

SUNDAY 24 APRIL

BRUNCH 0800-1000

There will be a modest Registration Fee for this reunion. It will, almost, take care of incidental expenses and will help to keep us solvent for a few more years.

The pay off will be a happier life for your reunion planners. They are required to confirm or change all attendance numbers given to the hotel. When we are late or incorrect we could pay a penalty – and you don’t want that to happen, do you?

Hotel reservations should be made directly with Holiday Inn South. Address and phone numbers are on the reservation form. To assure our room block, get reservation in by March 21.

Parking at Holiday Inn is FREE. That includes overnight parking of RV’s for overnight guests. Non-guest overnight RV parking is $40. However, there are two RV camps a few miles south on I-35. Mockingbird Hill park is $23/nite with all hook-ups and is about 5 miles south at exit 34. Elkhorrn park is about 7 miles south at exit 32 at $20/nite.

Coat and Tie for men and "after 5" for ladies at the Saturday Banquet. All other events, "Texas Casual."

I WONDER HOW MUCH I CAN GET AWAY WITH AND STILL GO TO HEAVEN

As in the past, seating reservations for the Banquet MUST be made at Registration. WARREN ARTHUR will have all the info during registration. Names, not a dash or vertical line, must be placed in spaces. Also, table numbers must be placed next to your name on the roster of attendees. That way, people can decide who to sit with – or stay away from.

For those of you flying in to DFW, transportation to the hotel can be arranged with ‘SUPER SHUTTLE’ by giving them a call from the free phone in the baggage pick up area. They will come by and pick you up. The fee is $26 per person one way.

There are several "Rent-A-Car" options in the baggage area and the week end rates are about $26 per day. If you have a special deal from AARP, AFA or other organization, now is the time to use it.

On the other hand, if you have been really good and have local friends, maybe you can talk them into picking you up.

LAUNDRY, THE COOKING AND THE CLEANING. I DO ALL THE REST.

NAME TAGS TO READ:_________________________________________________________UNIT_____

___________________________________________________________________

EVENT PRICES PER PERSON COST x #PERSONS = TOTAL

Registration $ 5 X ________ = __________

Welcome Dinner 20 X ________ = __________

Ladies Lunch 11 X ________ = __________

Mens Lunch 11 X ________ = __________

Banquet 22 X ________ = __________

Sunday Brunch 11 X _________=__________

TOTAL __________

HOTEL RESERVATIONS

HOLIDAY INN FORT WOTH SOUTH

100 Alta Mesa East Blvd., Ft. Worth, TX 76134

Ph: 817-293-3088 1-800-800-HOLIDAY (Mention 7BW B-36 Association)

TYPE ROOM   #ROOMS RATE (To hold room beyond 6PM it must be guaranteed by

Single/King, 1 or 2 persons ______ $72 Credit Card.)

Double/2 Double Beds Credit Card Type__________________________

2 persons ______ 72 Credit Card # _____________________________

Expiration Date

YOUR NAME___________________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS______________________________________________________________________________

PHONE #________________________ARRIVAL DATE____________DEP DATE___________________

NOTE: Make phone reservations or fill out and mail card to hotel NLT 21 March 2005