Page 6 - Aerotech News and Review, August 20, 2021

High Desert Hangar Stories
Reflections on the P-38 Lightning, and

inspiring new generations to love history

by Bob Alvis Thus, this part of my storytelling current generations will only respond
special to Aerotech News this week wants to ask a question of to the glitz and glamor of modern
you, the readers: what are we, as fans times and show little interest in the
I was thinking back today on the of all things aviation, doing to bring military of the past. “We are selling
many wonderful experiences I have along future generations to keep the the future, not the past,” I was told.
had in my life, especially my experi- passion for the past alive and grow- Later that afternoon we ran out of
ences with one particular plane and its ing? Many times, I see people who
crews and pilots. only care about being close to the posters for our veteran pilots to sign.
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning will celebrities of aerospace and aviation We asked the Air Force recruiters if
always have a special place in my history, when in reality we should be we could have some of theirs, and
heart. It alone opened up numerous closer to those who are not celebrities, they gladly obliged. Suddenly, their
doors, connecting me to many of the but individuals looking to be a part of posters signed by World War II pi-
great adventures and people I would something bigger than themselves and lots became the “hot ticket” item and
meet in my adult life. The P-38 Light- who want to be part of the future sto- our lines doubled, as many potential
ning would help define who I would rytelling, when the history books are recruits swarmed in to get a cool Air
become as a historian and activist closed and only the spoken word will
when it came to sharing the history be the conduit back to history made in
of the Greatest Generation and what the skies. It will be a tough transition
they meant to the American patchwork and, much like my old organization,
quilt of patriots and heroes. will face many hurdles in striving for
I was a member of the P-38 Na- survival in a world losing first-person,
tional Association for over two de- Courtesy photograph firsthand accounts — especially in a
cades and served two terms as its P-38 pilot Dick Bong and his wife Marge: America’s number one Ace in World world where technology takes the hu-
president. It was during a time when War II. man factor out of the equation.
a difficult transition was taking place, I wrote this piece to not be a down-
as the shrinking membership of World and look to hand the organization’s stories that had us all in tears at times er, but more of a wake-up call to those
War II combat veterans were reach- leadership off to future generations. (but also had us laughing), makes the of us now tasked with finding a direc-
ing out to the Baby Boomer genera- With conventions, events and air journey just that much more poignant, tion and narrative that will inspire a
as those moments will only be memo- rebirth of passion and desire to bring
ries that will play out when something history back into the limelight, and
sparks a thought about a subject or not relegate it to a dark closet in favor
event I had a personal attachment to of the new and flashy being promoted
with a Veteran who enriched my life. to keep up with current trends. Sure,
As the pilots passed on, over time those programs have their place, but Courtesy photograph
the structure of the organization that I a true story that I experienced should Our author, Bob Alvis, gives a program
had given my heart and soul to started get my point across to skeptics of the to retired Lockheed employees.
to lose focus on why we existed. The appeal of history to a new generation.
time finally came where a parting of At an air show about 10 years ago,
ways was inevitable, as the passion our P-38 booth was set up next to Force poster signed by real American
and determination instilled in many of the Air Force recruiting trailer and heroes of a past generation. After the
us by those inspirational veterans fell display. They had all the bells and show was over, the recruiter in charge
on deaf ears that wanted nothing more whistles with tricked out cars, 4x4s, asked if there was a way to get a cou-
than to turn off the lights and lock the motorcycles and music systems play- ple hundred autographed pictures they
doors. Many organizations and muse- ing the current hits of the day. As the could use at upcoming events. I asked
ums are falling into the same trap, and day passed, we were pretty busy with the pilots and they agreed, but it came
I must admit the answers for survival lines formed to get autographed pic- with one request: a ride in the Air
are getting pretty scary, as the genera- tures of World War II P-38 Lightning
Courtesy photograph tions that funded many of these opera- pilots, with many young people in Force’s tricked-out 4x4, along with
Marge Bong and our author, Bob Alvis, on the air show circuit telling the story tions and groups are marching off into those lines. Later in the day I asked photos and, of course, Glenn Miller
of Maj. Dick Bong, and promoting the Bong Museum in Wisconsin. the sunset and putting their hopes into the recruiter why they didn’t embrace playing on the sound system.
future generations that will hopefully the legacy of the Air Force and its his- Those recruiters left that day with a
tion to fill the shoes of those who flew shows being some of the most popu- pick up the torch and carry on on their tory with a few displays of past gen- new understanding that nostalgia sells,
even to new generations, and that vet-
the planes in combat. New blood was lar places to interact with future gen- behalf. erations. Their mindset was that the eran pilots and their deeds of the past
needed to carry on the legacy and tra- erations, the veterans would eagerly
ditions of the special men and women show up and spend the days speaking are just as much a draw to service to
that formed a bond with that legend- of heroics and sacrifice to any ear that country, as current generations that
ary fighter. At a luncheon at the Proud would listen or show an interest. Many call the Air Force home.
Bird Restaurant down by LAX, the times as I looked on, I felt as if I was The times they are a-changin’, for
combat pilots voted me in as the first no longer just the president or board the good and the bad, and as I am still
non-combat pilot to serve on their member — I pretty much felt like a a traveling force for promoting the
board of directors, along with Ron public relations manager for a major P-38 Lightning and its pilots, I had
Smith, a Lockheed employee from a celebrity. I was blessed so many times to adjust to new dynamics to keep
different generation. It was the first to see the magic moments when gener- the narrative alive in a time where
real step of facing an uncertain future ations would connect, the difference in the most dynamic narrative can get
for an organization that was made up ages and lifestyles would melt away, drowned out by a society deaf to his-
mostly of World War II veterans and and the coming together as one with
their families. shared passion and history over a be- tory. But we must never stop trying to
At first there was some push back loved old World War II fighter and its stay relevant and never forget to reach
by some of the old school member- pilots filled the gap between the young out to those hungry to learn more
ship. The realists in the organization and the old. about the Greatest Generation and the
countered with the fountain of youth As the years passed and the num- heroes of flight test. By doing so, we
analogy and stated to the old school ber of the old-timers dwindled down pass on the opportunity for them to be
that if they knew where that fountain to just a very few, the memories of Courtesy photograph the storytellers and keepers of history
was, please share — but until that hap- long road trips and late night hours “The P-38, and all the doors it opened for me in my life, will always be the for future generations.
pens, we need to stick with “plan B,” in hotel bars, reflecting on the many one thing that has always kept me rooted in aviation history,” said Bob Alvis. Until next time, Bob out.
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