American Air Power Museum
There are many aviation museums scattered around the country. Over the last ten years I have seen many of these museums during my travels. However, getting involved as a volunteer for an aviation museum is an inspirational experience. It is an opportunity to educate, commemorate, and celebrate the role of our American military heritage. I have been fortunate to have been involved in one of the most dynamic living aviation history museums in the country, The American Air Power Museum.
The American Air Power Museum was founded in 1993 by Jeff Clyman as a non-profit organization. It was originally located at Allair Airport in Monmouth County, New Jersery. At that time Mr. Clyman owned a Mustang, Corsair, T6, Stearman, B25, L39 jet, T28, P40, TBolt, and TBM Avenger. He primarily was flying these airplanes to air shows but did not consider himself an air show pilot. During his visits to Europe with his wife Jackie Clyman he noted that the English and the Germans not only preserved their history but it was made accessible to the public. They spent several years looking for an ideal location that would not only showcase his collection of warbirds but provide accessibility to a larger mass of population.
The new museum officially opened its doors Labor Day weekend 1999 at Republic Airport, located in the former factory site of Republic Aviation, in Farmingdale, Long Island. Jeff and Jackie Clyman and Gary Lewi were instrumental in promoting and marketing the new museum. The goal of the new museum was to create an environment that people could view exhibits and old warplanes. It would also allow living historians share their first hand accounts of their historic and heroic wartime exploits.
Larry Starr who is currently the museum curator and assistant manager recalled that six months prior to the opening of the museum they transformed the former Hangar 2 of Republic Aviation into a living history museum. What were once offices were turned into areas that resembled WWII briefing and ready rooms. In addition to Hangar 2, Hangar 3 which has the attached 1940’s tower underwent a similar transformation.
The first year the volunteers at the museum prepared the four levels of the former 1940’s tower for exhibits. The tower tour allowed museum visitors to view a uniform room, sit in a recreated WWII offices club and visit the cab of the tower. The cab of the tower features avionics that are from that time period. During air show weekends such as Memorial and Labor Day weekends patrons can catch a bird’s eye view of the bombers B-17, B-25, and B-24 or a Corsair, TBM, P-51, P40 and Republics P-47. During the height of WWII Republic Aviation built more than 9,000 P-47 Thunderbolts in Farmingdale, Long Island. The museum is not only fortunate to have as part of its collection a P47 Thunderbolt but a combat veteran P47 pilot, Benjamin Rosman. Mr. Rosman flew with the 86th Fighter Group, 527 Squadron and survived 112 missions. His job was to knock out enemy modes of transportation by dive bombing and strafing trucks, railroads and factories. While flying low during a mission, a German gunner shot up his plane to the point he could only fly it with the nose up and flaps half deployed. When he finally returned to base, the crew chief ranted and raved for about an hour about the condition of the plane. Only later did the crew chief ask if he was okay. Pilots only flew the planes but the crew chiefs really owned them.
Flying these historic aircraft require skill and knowledge of radial engines. The pilot corps of the American Air Power Museum consists of retired airline and corporate pilots, warbird mechanics and current military jet fighter pilots. Jim Vocell a retired US Airways captain is currently the chief pilot and director of operations. He started flying at the age of 14 out of Skypark Seaplane Base in Methuen, MA. He then went on to fly professionally out of Tew-Mac Airport, Tewksbury, MA. When not flying professionally he would be seen at various air shows with one of his warbirds that he shared a partnership with. Currently on any given weekend during air show season Jim can be found behind the controls of the B-25, C47, Corsair, P40, TBM Avenger and the T6.
Dan Dameo another well known aviator who flies for the American Air Power Museum is currently the director of flight operations. He has been seen in the cockpit of the F4Corsair, P40, P51 and the B25. He is retired from a trucking business that he owned and operated. He also flew corporate jets at one time. Lenny Boyd who is the director of maintenance, is the owner and operator of Ocean Aire, in Toms River New Jersey. His involvement with the museum came with the knowledge and skill in repairing radial engines. Lenny Boyd can often be seen flying the TBM Avenger, P47 Thunderbolt and B-25. Ryan Parente one of the youngest pilots for the American Air Power Museum works for Lenny Boyd as a warbird mechanic. He flies the T6, B25, C47, and the Waco. Scott Clyman, son of Jackie and Jeff Clyman is currently a reservist for the US Air Force flying F16s. When he is not flying F16s overseas in Iraq, Afghanistan or Korea he can be found up in the air in the L39 or T6 for the American Air Power Museum.
For any aviation museum the planes and pilots are the main attraction. However, behind the scenes are the unsung volunteers who created the exhibits, work the flight line and assist with the various operations that keep the museum running. I have been fortunate enough to have met and worked side by side with some extraordinary people who helped to create and define this museum. The following is a brief review of some of these unique individuals. These volunteers consist of a retired airline mechanic, Rosie the Riveter, a WASP liaison and a Germany ex-patriot who survived WWII and emigrated to this country after the war.
Frank Kittle is a retired mechanic for United Airlines. He started his career August of 1941, in the Navy as a Machinist Mate in Norfolk, VA. In his early career he worked on the PBY’s, Vega Ventura, F4Ucorsair, B24D and the SBD. In his airline career he worked on the DC series, 700 series, the Constellation and a Vickers Viscount. When he retired from United Airlines he was an instructor mechanic for the 747. His current role with the American Air Power Museum is that of a Ramp Rat. The Ramp Rats are qualified men and women who work the flight line. They provide safe ground operations of aircraft during air shows, fly-ins, static displays while allowing public access to the aircraft. They are also the ones to assist visiting aircraft from other museums during an airshow weekend.
Josephine Raichele, also known as Rosie the Riveter never thought she would be a part of history when she applied for a job at Republic Aviation. Her sister Theresa was already working at Republic Aviation as a secretary. In August of 1943, she and another sister Sarah were hired to work in the assembly department. Josephine was told she was going to be a riveter on the P47 and had to wear only pants. Her mother was so proud of her three daughters who were working in the defense industry. Behind the museum was once the factory for the P47 which is now a shopping center. Josephine recalls that the planes would come off the assembly line and into Hangar 2 for the Crew Chiefs to inspect and prepare the planes for flight. Afterwards, the lady pilots (WASPs) flew them to various points of interests for shipment overseas. Josephine retired from Republic Aviation January 3, 1986 after 45 years of service. She joined the museum as a living historian volunteer in 2000.
The WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) played a vital role in America’s home front wartime effort. They were trained the Army way to fill a void while the men were shipped overseas for combat duty. They ferried planes from factories to military bases and points of disembarkation, towed drones and aerial targets. Julia Lauria-Blum, curator and historian for the American Air Power Museum, first became intrigued about the WASPS in 1981 while visiting her mother’s gravesite. She noted a plaque honoring one of the 38 women who sacrificed her life during a military exercise. In 1998 Julia submitted an essay based on her research of the WASPs. A temporary exhibit for the WASPs was created based on Julia’s research. June 13, 2001 a permanent exhibit was dedicated by then New York State Governor George Pataki to honor the 38 fallen and surviving WASP members. Featured in this exhibit are well known Ninety-Nines and WASP Teresa James and Marjorie Gray who have in the past few years have flown on to new horizons.
Initially, I became involved indirectly with the museum due to my role with The Ninety-Nines. I first met Julia Labor Day weekend of 2001 after returning from a flight to Bridgeport, CT. Julia was in the midst of operations for the museums Labor Day weekend activities. Prior to meeting Julia I had inadvertently became a sideshow for the airshow when I had difficulty shutting down the engine of the 172 that I flew that day. All the flight instructors were engaged with the action overhead while the non flying patrons were amused by the crazed female pilot attempting to gain the instructors attention. Eventually, we were able to shut down the engine and I was able to talk to Julia. Ironically, we discussed setting up a meeting for the Long Island chapter of The Ninety-Nines for October 11, 2001. We were going to have a presentation regarding Marjorie Gray, who was a WASP, a lifetime member of the Ninety-Nines and a founding member of the Long Island Chapter of the Ninety-Nines. A week later on September 9, 2001 was the last time I rented an airplane and flew out from the hangar that houses the museum. I flew out to East Hampton to deliver Ninety-Nines pamphlets for distribution for an upcoming fly-in. On my return trip I could see the Manhattan skyline. Two days later that vision would be forever altered. On September 13, 2001 I was inaugurated as the chapter chairwoman for the Long Island Ninety-Nines. We still held our second meeting of my term at the museum on October 11, 2001. It was to say a very somber time of our lives. Over the course of the next few years I returned to the American Air Power Museum as a guest presenter for the Ninety-Nines during Memorial and Labor Day weekends. However, in 2005 while on hiatus from flying I decided to join the museum as a volunteer. It was during that summer and in 2007 when I returned to Long Island that I really came to appreciate the museum and the people who make this museum fly.
The museum has a unique way of bringing people together. Guenter Bier a volunteer/docent for the museum was a child in Germany during WWII. On April 6 1945, three B17 bombers collided over his hometown of Leipzig, Germany creating significant damage and a memory that he would never forget. Years passed and in 2001 he found himself searching for a model airplane at the AAM’s gift shop when he met Seymour Cohen. Seymour Cohen was already a volunteer for the museum but 65 years earlier he was a B17 Radio Operator/Gunner. Seymour noted Guenter’s strong Saxon accent and conversation led to the discovery that on April 6, 1945 Seymour was actually flying over Leipzig when the three B17s collided. That was his last and 30th mission that he flew. For both men this meeting was a life changing moment. Sadly, Seymour Cohen has recently passed on. Guenter became a member and continues to volunteer for the museum. He brings his unique perspective of WWII to the patrons visiting the museum.
The American Air Power Museum experience is highlighted during the two major holiday weekends, Memorial and Labor Day weekends. It is a time when all the volunteers come together to put on a display that rivals any other major museum in the country. On the forefront of these holiday weekends is a man who is eloquently known as the voice of the American Air Power Museum, Mr. Gary Lewi. It is his baritone presence that rivets the audience’s attention and brings the museum alive. When asked if the AAM holds any special meaning he answered “It is an enormously powerful venue that allows this generation to say thanks to those who have preserved and protected our nation.” He went on to say that “the mission of the American Air Power Museum is to acknowledge the role of every American who has served, regardless of era or branch of service.”
The American Air Power Museum experience has certainly left an impact on my social awareness and conscience regarding our nation’s military and aviation history. I will never forget the people or the memories that were created by being a part of this museum.
Photos and story by Carol Levine
