President’s Message
by Frank Drain

Summer, 2003

This past June in Tucson the Foundation held its 2003 annual gathering, building on last year’s successful event. Everyone seemed to enjoy the various tours and activities as well as the chance to tour the museum. Thanks to all those who made this a success again this year. I would especially like to thank Jim & Mary Truitt, Tom Drugan, Cory Tennyson, and everyone from the museum who helped out. All concerned put a great deal of time and effort into making this event a success. Next year we are planning for a mid-April event, to take advantage of a little cooler weather.

Many WWII veterans groups are starting to wind down holding reunions each year. We are lucky in that our 390th Veterans still continue to hold their annual events, but it presses home the need for us to continue to build our own yearly gathering. Our goal in starting these annual Foundation events was to bring together each year those of us concerned with preserving the heritage of the 390th. We still urge 390th descendants to attend both the Veterans reunions and our annual Foundation event.

The original 1947 Blue Book is probably the best bomb group history ever produced. A second printing, duplicating the original format on high quality paper, was done in the late 1990’s. Bill Pennebaker, who was responsible for putting together the second edition, suggested last year that a third printing would be appropriate. Thanks to funding from Bill, Dorothy Moller, and the 390th Veterans Association, this third printing has been completed and will be available for sale from the Foundation.

This is a great opportunity to purchase a Blue Book for anyone who does not have a copy, especially suitable to give to the next generation(s) of the 390th family. It is required reading for anyone interested in the 390th, and is a great historical reference work.

The 2003 Veterans Reunion will be held this September in Northern Kentucky, near the Cincinnati airport. For those interested in the restoration of B-17’s, there will be a presentation on the recovery and restoration of My Gal Sal from the Greenland ice cap. After sitting on the ice for 53 years, this B-17E is currently being restored at the Blue Ash airport in Cincinnati.