Page 6 - Aerotech News and Review, December 18, 2020

The Major’s hat

by Bob Alvis
special to Aerotech News

Edwards Air Force Base is home to the 412th
Test Wing, which has a full schedule of flight
tests and evaluations taking place around the
clock, seven days a week.
But there was a time when bomber opera-
tions at Muroc (the pioneer name for current
day Edwards Air Force Base) far exceeded
current-day operations. Today Brig. Gen. E.
John “Dragon” Teichert has his hands full with
many cutting edge programs and operations;
but looking back to the year 1945, then-base Courtesy photograph
commander Col. W.A. Maxwell had a different The City of Hollywood and its crew, in theater.
mission that was asking the base and its per-
sonnel to perform at its very best, as the nation have it, he was working for Air Force Maga-
looked to them to help train men to bring an zine when he met up with Smith and his crew
end to a very costly war. before they shipped out to New Guinea, and he
Air operations at the base had just transi- managed to talk his way on board to fly some
tioned from B-24 Liberators to B-29 Superfor- of those first missions over Japan. Wherever then tracked forward to the Queen in front of on the crew asked him for the old New Guinea
tresses, reflecting the need to train aircrews en Kirms went, an old uniform hat went with him. them. All hell broke loose, and in an instant the hat. “Sure,” the Major said. “You’ll need it more
masse for the final push to cover the skies of Crew members called it the “Major’s Hat,” or Queen was engulfed in flames and drifted below than I will.”
Japan with Superfortresses, in preparation for the “High Hat.” It was just an old, regulation the Hollywood and, in a massive explosion, it When the magic stateside orders came for
what was going to be a very brutal invasion of officer’s green hat, and on those first missions was gone — along with all its crew. During the Smith and the crew of City of Hollywood to
a difficult battlefield on the islands of Japan. it was soaked with New Guinea sweat and mold moments this all played out, the Major discov- come back home to help new crews prepare for
This is where I pick up the story of a special but, on those missions the hat — and the City of ered that his hat had fallen off and was missing. combat over Japan, the hat that had hung in the
hat — a meaningful talisman to some aircrews Hollywood — made it home unscathed. It was only when they landed that the flight en- plane for every mission was looked upon by
and instructors at Muroc Army Air Field. When it came time for the major to move on, gineer pulled the hat from his pocket and told the crew with reverence. It was then passed off
Traditions and superstitions in the Air Force the hat became the property of the crew and the the Major he was sorry — he had used it to wipe to another plane and crew, to hang in its place
have been around since the first aviator paint- City of Hollywood, where it hung in a spot of away the sweat from his eyes during the encoun- above the seat of another pilot and bring its spe-
ed a picture on his aircraft. Muroc instructor honor over the pilot’s seat. Why did they think ter, after he picked it up from the floor of the cial gift of deliverance in combat.
During an interview he gave to a military
Capt. Russell J. Smith liked to share stories it had some special powers? On that very first plane. This was the real beginning of the hat’s
of his time flying combat over Japan in a B-29 mission, City of Hollywood was trailing anoth- journey to bring comfort to crewmembers. journalist at Muroc, Captain Smith, along with
called City of Hollywood. Smith crossed paths er B-29 called the Queen, when tracking lights After a few more missions, Krims came over three other members of his crew from the Hol-
lywood — Lt. Carlysle Schnelle; Lt. Raymond
with one Maj. Milton R. Kirms of Hollywood, picked up the bomber formation. For a brief mo- to the crew of the Hollywood and told them he
a novelist and scenario writer. As luck would ment, the lights engulfed City of Hollywood, was leaving for another assignment. Somebody See HAT, Page 7

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