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WASP museum to have homecoming May 24 |
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Written by Staff Reports
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Friday, 16 May 2008 |
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On May 24, the National WASP World War II Museum will host its fourth annual homecoming with an open house and barbeque dinner honoring the Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs, of World War II. The museum is located off Interstate 20 near Avenger Field in Sweetwater. Persons are invited to fly in between 8-10 a.m. to enjoy breakfast served by FBO John Howard and USAF Cadets. Call (325) 235-0099 to be counted. Open house begins at 10 a.m. with WASP movies, activities for children including origami airplane and glider making with Terry Minami at 2 p.m., and displays by collectors and history re-enactors.
At 11 a.m. Dawn Letson, coordinator of special collections at Texas Woman’s University, will present a program about the relationship between Sweetwater citizens and the WASP. At noon, WASP Betty Jo Reed will tell her story and an Air Force Academy Cadet will speak to visitors at 2 p.m.
The evening event speaker is Major Nicole Malachowski, USAF, the first female Thunderbird pilot. Officials are expecting a numbers of WASPs to attend this event and public is urged to come meet them and to hear their stories about training to fly military aircraft during Wordl War II.
The barbeque dinner begins at 7 pm followed by a memorial flag ceremony at sunset. Big Band music provided by the Sweetwater Municipal Band, also known as Billy Weems and His Band of Dreams, will follow. Persons can dance or dream the night away listening to the big band tunes of the 1940s and enjoy soloist Lori Ortega and a special appearance by “the Andrews Sisters.”
Cost for the dinner is $10 for WASPs, $20 for museum members, and $25 for nonmembers.
Table sponsorships are available for $200 and $250. Send dinner reservations with your check payable to the National WASP World War II Museum, P.O. Box 456, Sweetwater, Texas 79556. Come in period costume if you like. Call 235-0099 or check our website: waspmuseum.org for more information or driving directions. |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 17 May 2008 )
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