WWII Heritage Days/ Keep ‘em Flying

Thu, 04/05/2007 - 2:49pm
By: The Citizen

Annual event to celebrate America’s veterans

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Next weekend, make your way back in time by attending the fourth annual WWII Heritage Days event scheduled for April 14-15 at The Historical Airpower Facility, Falcon Field in Peachtree City.

Experience the sights and sounds of World War II when the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Dixie Wing hosts this annual event from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. The event will bring together re-enactors, vehicles, vintage aircraft and exhibits as a living history experience for the entire family. The public can also enjoy a 1940s musical review at Keep ‘em Flying, a WWII hangar dance to be held Saturday evening.

WWII Heritage Days is a community celebration that will entertain and educate the entire family. New to the event will be musical and radio-show performances by area theatre companies and choirs as well as a WWII field service performed by an ordained minister Sunday morning at 9 a.m. Displays, demonstrations and activities and vendors will be available throughout the weekend. The event will feature re-enacted WWII skirmishes between American and German troops and a ceremony that will pay tribute to all of America’s veterans.

Breakfast and lunch will be available at an army mess tent and local chapters of the National Military Historical Association (NMHA) will represent allied and axis armies of WWII and the Georgia Military Vehicle Preservation Association (GMVPA) will display military vehicles from WWII to the Vietnam conflict. Other participating organizations include the National Association of Rosie the Riveters, the Southern Wing of the Airmen Preservation Society, the Museum of Aviation, Newnan Theatre and the Tuskegee Airmen International. Local civic organizations and schools are invited to create and display 1940s exhibits.

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For those wondering what it felt like to cruise 3,000 feet above the countryside in a P-51 looking for targets of opportunity, rides in a CAF Dixie Wing aircraft can be purchased by the public. Proceeds from aircraft rides and concessions will be used to defray the cost of hosting WWII Heritage Days.

“We are inviting WWII veterans and their families to attend WWII Heritage Days and register to participate in our Oral History Program,” said Jim Golden, program coordinator. “Our veterans have a unique perspective we want to preserve for future generations.” Veterans will be scheduled for a video recording that will be forwarded to the Library of Congress. WWII veterans will be recognized and will be provided with a special badge at the Oral History program tent.

Saturday will conclude with Keep ‘em Flying, a World War II-style hangar dance featuring a 1940s musical revue. Keep ‘em Flying will benefit historic aircraft preservation and Education Through Living History, a WWII history program made available by volunteers to schools and youth groups free of charge.

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The dance will be held at the Historical Airpower Facility, Falcon Field and will feature a BBQ dinner, live performances by three groups of entertainers, dance demonstrations, and a “Best 1940s Costume” contest. Adding to the atmosphere will be vintage aircraft, vehicles and re-enactors dressed in period clothing. The festivities will begin with free swing dance lessons at 6 p.m.

Keep ‘em Flying guests will hear the Peachtree Jazz Edition play the big band sounds of Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman while enjoying a BBQ dinner from Café Pig. Described as “one of the best bands in Atlanta,” the Peachtree Jazz Edition has a loyal swing dance following and is returning to Keep ‘em Flying for the fifth straight year. New to Keep ‘em Flying are performances by the Henry Singers and Vintage Vocals. Rachel Ferguson and the Atlanta Swing Era Dance Association will provide dance demonstrations.

The Henry Singers is comprised of vocalists from Henry County who will wear period attire as they perform an original medley of 1940s standards and patriotic songs. Joining the Henry Singers will be the Vintage Vocals, a Cobb County trio that will belt out ‘40s swing tunes in Andrews Sisters-style uniforms. The Vintage Vocals have performed at a variety of venues honoring veterans, including trains, churches, state parks, military bases, corporate events and even a USO tour.

The 2005 edition of the annual swing dance was instrumental in the repair of “The Lady in Blue,” the rare SBD Dauntless dive-bomber flown by the CAF Dixie Wing. “Our SBD was grounded because we needed a new engine” said Jim Friday, leader of the CAF Dixie Wing. “So we decided to rename the dance to reflect our mission, which is to restore and fly World War II airplanes as a tribute to America’s veterans.” The “Lady in Blue,” originally restored using blueprints provided by the Smithsonian Institute, returned to the air in May 2005 and is one of only three SBDs flying in the United States.

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The Dixie Wing was founded in February 1987 as the 83rd wing or chapter of the Commemorative Air Force, an international non-profit dedicated to restoring and flying WWII aircraft. Originally based at Peachtree-Dekalb airport, the organization now maintains a 25,000 square foot flying museum at Falcon Field that is home to several historic WWII aircraft, including a North American P-51 Mustang and replica Japanese aircraft from the movie “Tora, Tora, Tora.” The CAF Dixie Wing also co-hosts the Great Georgia Air Show and participates in over 30 air shows annually. The CAF Dixie Wing is a non-profit education organization that relies on donations and fund-raisers to restore WWII aircraft and teach WWII history.

Students from Coweta County’s Central Educational Center will be using the event for a class project, working with re-enactors, period vehicles, specially constructed props and the planned public battles to create a short movie. WWII Heritage Days provides students with an incredible opportunity to work with authentic clothing and equipment in real life production setting throughout the weekend,” said Kevin Pullen, CEC Video Production Instructor. Students from the video production, theatre, construction and horticulture classes will add their particular expertise to the project.

“We are a 100 percent volunteer organization,” said Jake Tryon, Dixie Wing Recruiting Officer. “Our members have been working on this project since last summer because we believe we can provide school age kids with ‘Education Through Living History’ and complement the lessons taught in the classroom. We also believe we can help distinguish Peachtree City and Fayette County as a community dedicated to preserving and teaching.” Over 7,000 school age children and their family members have attend CAF Dixie Wing education programs since it was launched in 2003.

WWII Heritage Days is an annual program that promotes historic preservation, education and citizenship. Suggested donations for WWII Heritage Days is $5 per person. Children 12 and under are admitted free. The public is also asked to bring a canned food item to be donated to the Fayette Samaritans food pantry. WWII Heritage Days will be held rain or shine. Pets are not permitted.

Advance tickets for Keep ‘em Flying are $35 before April 9 and $40 at the door. Reserved tables for eight are $300. Group discounts also available. For more information, please visit www.wwiidays.org or call 678-364-1110.

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