Old Memories, Old Friends at Bird Aviation Event

 

My mother had a great time at yesterday's Women of Courage event at the Bird Aviation and Invention Museum.  Women aviators received center-stage attention, but countless other women who had played a part in the World War II war effort or who have served in the military attended the program.

Along with them hundreds of visitors came to take in the event and tour the Bird Aviation and Invention Museum at Glengary.

On the way out to Glengary, Mother was scripting the main headlines of her own personal war-effort story, which took place at 327 Sub Depot at Kellogg Field in Battle Creek where she earned $1.50  an hour and often worked ten-hour days putting her drafting skills to work.

The focus of her efforts was on light bombers which had suffered damage in combat.  Design work was done to repair the bombers as fast as possible because the need was so great.  Mother loved the duty and remains proud of her role as a vital contributor in the nation's military effort.  

Besides sharing her story, Mother also delighted in seeing lots of old friends in a typical "old-home-week" gathering.  She also had the opportunity to meet Kurt Kopsa (one of my former students), owner of Keystone Masonry of Colburn who created the brick work for the special monument above.  

And, she chatted for a few minutes with the famed inventor and owner of the Bird Aviation and Invention Center, Dr. Forrest Bird.  Turns out the two were born about six weeks apart in 1921.  Forrest is the older of the two. 

Enjoy the photos below, which include some big smiles on the face of one of the millions of Greatest Generation folks who teamed up to create a positive outcome for our nation during WWII.