Volunteer in the Spotlight

Winter, 2002-2003

HE LAYS IT ON THE LINE FOR US!

It’s 11:00 AM and the museum has been open for an hour or so. We go to the railing in front of the office to view the attendance. There, clustered around the ball turret of “I’ll be Around” we see a small crowd gathered. On looking closer we see someone lying on his back on the floor, arms and legs extended upwards. Initial alarm fades as we realize that our very own John Day is performing the demonstration he does several times during each of his stints as Docent at the museum. He is showing a group of visitors the exact position he had to maintain during some 25 missions as a ball turret gunner in World War II with the 100th Bomb Group. John is not as flexible as he was in 1944 but his weight has not changed much. And his enthusiasm has not waned for showing the younger generations just what it was like to live in that bubble for many hours at a time during his service.

John, like many of his peers, goes all out to enhance the museum experience for our visitors. Their interest and gratitude is obvious in the rapt attention they pay to his demonstration.

After the war, John Day taught woodworking in public schools in Connecticut for 35 years. He found the 390th Memorial Museum in October 1998 and has been a dedicated volunteer ever since. John did much of the carpentry work for our flag case and other display work in the museum. The high quality of his work is obvious. He is now retired near Tucson in Green Valley, Arizona where he spends his time in volunteering and woodcarving. His carvings of wild birds are genuine works of art!

John, you have our gratitude and appreciation for your dedication.