For those who are curious, Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military.
At the Commemorative Air Force, we celebrate this day, and every day, by working toward fulfilling our mission: To educate, inspire and honor through flight and exposition.
Please enjoy this sample of videos from times past and remember those who died while serving in the US military.
Every once in a while we come find a great story about a great person – here is one of those. Please send a birthday card for his 105th birthday!
Dear Everyone,
On 26 March 1915, Sam A. Sachs, the oldest of three children, was born in Grand Forks, North Dakota. He has had quite a storied life and now lives in Lakewood, CA. His plans for his 105th birthday party were shattered with the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic. So, instead of birthday bash, Sam is asking for birthday cards! He especially was delighted and surprised recently when the Sultans’ Car Club, Long Beach, CA, had a parade of their vintage vehicles to honor him and his birthday.
So, you know a bit about WWII Lt. Col. (US Army Reserve, Retired) Sam A. Sachs, the following information about him is from various Internet articles:
In 1931, and while still in high school, Sam joined ROTC. In Oct 1940, at age 25, he registered for the Draft. Later, he was called to fight in WWII. As a 1st Lt., Sam first went to Fort Benning, Georgia. Later, he was assigned to the 82nd Airborne, 325th Glider Infantry to pilot gliders, affectionately known as Flying Coffins. On 6 June 1944, the 30-year old officer flew an unarmed glider carrying eight troops, machine guns and ammo, through anti-aircraft artillery fire, for their D-Day landing at Normandy, France. Upon landing the glider on a farm about two to three miles from Utah Beach (the farthest west of the five landings), Sam found only one bullet hole in the glider’s fuselage. Until the war’s end in 1945, Sam served as Company Commander in Casablanca, Morocco, Africa, Naples, Italy (see 1943 Naples picture) and other locations. He was also part of a group which helped liberate prisoners from a German concentration camp.
In 1946, Sam met Ida, bride of 58-years (she passed in 2005). Then, Sam attended the University of Southern California, where he obtained his teaching credential. He taught in several southern California schools, with his first teaching assignment at Wilmington High School. He then taught at Compton Junior High School, Roosevelt Adult School (east LA) and from 1955 to 1982, he taught at Huntington Park High School.
After Sam served with the US Army Reserves for 32-years, he retired as a Lt. Col. In 2017, Sam was honored by the 63rd California Assembly District, as the Lakewood, CA Veteran of the Year. On 6 June 2019, 75-years after helping liberate France from Nazi Germany’s grip, Christophe Lemoine, Consul General of France – Los Angeles, presented Lt. Col. Sachs with the French Legion of Honor. He also said, that by decree of French President Emmanuel Macron, Sam was appointed a Chevalier (Knight).
Should you want to send a birthday card to our WWII Hero and Veteran, his address is:
Lt. Col. (US Army Reserve, Retired) Sam A. Sachs
c/o Mom and Dad’s Manor House
4340 Conquista Avenue
Lakewood, CA 90713
Let’s shower Sam Sachs, a WWII Veteran who fought for the freedoms we enjoy today, with a lot of birthday cards, so he has an absolutely spectacular birthday! Also, we notified the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1874 in Grand Forks, ND, where Sam was born, about his upcoming birthday. They intend to let all the North Dakota VFWs know, so they can honor Sam, too! Maybe you can even pass this letter on to others who can send the message out to more people?!
Anne Constantin Birge and Ray Birge
Lincoln, CA
The Wounded Warrior Project – The greatest casualty is being forgotten.
While you are staying home to flatten the curve, you may want to head on over to the PX (gift store) located here: CAFSOCAL PX
And keep checking back, we are adding more items very soon! Here is a small sample…
Come enjoy the next presentation on Saturday, March 28, 11am to 2pm. Based on the book: Spy Pilot by Francis Gary Powers Jr., and Keith Dunnavant.
Here is the write up of the book as it appears on Amazon:
Based on newly available information, the son of famed U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers presents the facts and dispels misinformation about the Cold War espionage program that turned his father into a Cold War icon..
One of the most talked-about events of the Cold War was the downing of the American U-2 spy plane piloted by Francis Gary Powers over the Soviet Union on May 1, 1960. The event was recently depicted in the Steven Spielberg movie Bridge of Spies. Powers was captured by the KGB, subjected to a televised show trial, and imprisoned, all of which created an international incident. Soviet authorities eventually released him in exchange for captured Soviet spy Rudolf Abel. On his return to the United States, Powers was exonerated of any wrongdoing while imprisoned in Russia, yet, due to bad press and the government’s unwillingness to heartily defend Powers, a cloud of controversy lingered until his untimely death in 1977.
Now his son, Francis Gary Powers Jr. and acclaimed historian Keith Dunnavant have written this new account of Powers’s life based on personal files that had never been previously available. Delving into old audio tapes, letters his father wrote and received while imprisoned in the Soviet Union, the transcript of his father’s debriefing by the CIA, other recently declassified documents about the U-2 program, and interviews with the spy pilot’s contemporaries, Powers and Dunnavant set the record straight. The result is a fascinating piece of Cold War history. This is also a book about a son’s journey to understand his father, pursuing justice and a measure of peace.
Almost sixty years after the fact, this will be the definitive account of one of the most important events of the Cold War.
Look for the 2021 schedule soon. Updated as of September 10, 2020
Unfortunately, due to the safety concerns for the public due to COVID, all of the airshows scheduled for 2020 have been cancelled.
Please look for the 2021 Airshow schedule due out soon.
Mar 12-15 MCAS Yuma Airshow: Cancelled
Mar 13-15 NAF El Centro Airshow: Cancelled
Mar 20-22 LUKE AFB Airshow: Cancelled
March 20-22 LA County Airshow: Cancelled
Mar 26-29 March Field Air Expo: Cancelled
May 1-3 Planes of Fame Airshow: Cancelled
May 7-11 Beale AFB Airshow: Cancelled
May 29-31 HGR 24 Airfest: Cancelled
June 27-28 Hill AFB, UT: Cancelled
July 25-26 Ellsworth AFB, SD: Cancelled
Aug 8 Heber City CAF: Cancelled
Aug 15-16 Camarillo Airshow, Cancelled
Sept 18-20 Great Pacific Airshow: Cancelled
Sept 26-27 MCAS Miramar: Cancelled
Oct 2-3 Prescott, AZ: Cancelled
Oct 3-4 CCA Sacramento: Cancelled
Oct 3-4 PT Mugu Airshow: Cancelled
Oct 3-4 Minden, NV: Cancelled
Oct 9-11 Edwards AFB: Cancelled
Oct 17-18 Santa Maria: Cancelled
Nov 7-8 SBD Fest: Cancelled
Unfortunately, the Warbird Ride Program is suspended until further notice.
Please check back often for the status, thank you.
For more information, here is the page: https://www.cafsocal.com/warbird-ride-program/
We thought you’d enjoy reading a current article about Camarillo Airport (CMA) on the current edition of Air & Space Magazine at airspacemag.com – The Commemorative Air Force Southern California Wing is featured front and center, and we think that’s great!
Here is an excerpt:
“Flying into Camarillo, as I do often in my 55-year-old Piper Cherokee, is like touching down at Disneyland—if Disneyland were wholly dedicated to general aviation. It’s not uncommon to find yourself cleared to land behind a restored World War II fighter, a home-built kitplane, a multi-million-dollar executive jet, a Cessna trainer with a young student behind the yoke, or some vaguely confused guy driving a Beech Bonanza who sounds over the radio like he’s never talked to air traffic control in his life.
Any aviation-minded person who questions the existence of nirvana on Earth has never spent a day at Camarillo (CMA).”
Read more at: www.airspacemag.com
Monday, November 11th, 2019 was Veteran’s Day this year – we hope you joined us! If not, then maybe next year
Hopefully you came out to grab some great movie swag and premier tickets! Check out the movie trailer here: See the movie trailer here.
We want to let our friends at the Collings Foundation know that our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family of dedicated volunteers, as well as the kind souls that supported your efforts in keeping our legacy alive. We wish everyone affected by this tragedy great strength during these difficult times.
