Preserving the history of the Mighty 8th
Meetings Are Free. Meetings are open to everyone. There is no cost to attend. You do not have to be a member in order to attend a meeting.
Doors open at 10:00 A.M.
A luncheon sandwich bar is available for $16
The Speakers for the August 10th, 2024, Meeting of the Oregon Chapter of the 8th A.F.H.S. will be Mike Morrow and Chris Gattman. They are local aviation historians and enthusiasts. Chris Gattman is the grandson of our own Charlie Gattman, 96th Bomb Group. They will give a presentation on two Pacific Northwest B-17 crash sites.
The first site is B-17F-95-BO, which crashed on Cape Lookout, the first week of August in 1943. The crew was on their final training mission before furlough and overseas deployment. Their Flight left Pendleton Field, I.P. Cape Disappointment, and were then to fly 500 miles out to sea. They were separated from the rest of the flight and became lost in dense fog. As the aircraft climbed to approx. 900 feet it crashed into the trees on Cape Lookout. Only the Bombardier, 2nd Lt. Wilbur Perez, survived; the rest of the crew perished in the crash and aftermath. There is a Memorial Plaque on the trail, and you can hike the nearby trail.
The second site is on the Tubal Cain Trail, near the old Tubal Cain Mine, 20 miles south of Sequim, Washington in the Olympic National Forest. On January 19th, 1952, while returning from a search mission for a Korean War Airlift aircraft, B-17G-105-VE, s/n 44-85746, flew into severe winter weather. The SB-17G was returning to McChord Air Force Base, and in near blizzard conditions the port wingtip clipped the trees. The aircraft then hit the ridge. Of the 8 crewmen onboard, three did not survive. The wreckage is available by trail, and it is a challenging hike. There is a considerable debris field.
Mike and Chris have made several trips to both wreckage sites. They have extensive photos and historical information to document the wrecks, and tell the stories of the crewmen who lost their lives in the service of their country. It is an enthralling tale of two little-known stories of service and sacrifice. The photos and personal experiences alone are well worth the time.
See you at the briefing!
On-line transcripts of available previous meeting presentations from 2002 to 2023
Local membership is open to all and Annual Membership cost is only $15.00. Link takes you to the signup Forms
August 8, 2023 Presentation: B-29 and F-94 collide between Tualatin and Wilsonville during mission practice.
November 11, 2023 Presentation: Veterans Salute meeting.
February 02, 2024 Presentation: "Beauty and Duty." speaker, Alice Miller.
May 11, 2024 Presentation: "The Bloody 100th Bomb Group" by Lt Col Terrence G. Popravak, Jr., USAF (Retired)