Celebrations and Honors for Veterans at Airbase Arizona

MESA, Ariz., Nov. 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Eight inspiring and exciting events will be held by CAF Airbase Arizona at 2017 N. Greenfield Road in Mesa starting tomorrow and extending to November 12 to honor veterans and hold exhibitions to celebrate the service and sacrifice of the men and women who serve their country.

Veterans and the public are invited to participate to commemorate vital periods in U.S. history, find out about the experiences of family or friends, and to thank and honor the service of veterans past and present.

• Nov. 7, approx. 4 p.m. -- Berlin Airlift Reenactment with C-47 Flyover & Candy Drop at Rawhide Western Town area, Chandler.  Old Number 30, a C-47 Skytrain dropping candy by parachute for Boy Scout Patriotic Camporee.
• Nov. 8, approx. 11 a.m. -- RAF Cadet Memorial with flyover & ceremony at City of Mesa Cemetery. British aviation cadets trained at Falcon Field during WWII, over 20 perished in local training accidents and are buried at the City of Mesa Cemetery.
• Nov. 8, 1- 4 p.m. -- Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans at Airbase Arizona in Mesa. Free admission to all veterans showing discharge papers. Community partnership with Gilbert Wall Project & AZ Welcome Home. Combat airmen Mark Berent and Roger Parish will speak.
• Nov. 11, approx. 11 a.m. -- B-17 Flying Fortress Flyover at East Valley Veterans Parade, Mesa. Most iconic heavy bomber of WWII accompanied by WWII-era bi-planes will fly over parade center.
• Nov. 11, 9 a.m. -- Gathering of Legends – Old Number 30 Honor Flight at Airbase Arizona.  Flight for donors of project to restore 1944 combat era paint scheme honoring the legendary 60^th Troop Carrier Group which earned the Distinguished Unit Citation in WWII.
• Nov 11, 11 a.m.-- Gathering of Legends – Speaker Greg Freeman The Forgotten 500 at Airbase Arizona. Hundreds of Allied aviators were shot down over the Balkans during WWII and would have been forgotten until the OSS put together a mission to get them out. The largest rescue mission in WWII – at night, in the mountains, no paved runways, under fire. Old Number 30 was there.
• Nov. 11, 2 - 4 p.m. Meet the Legends. Approximately 12 'legends' who are veterans of significant U.S. military service, or family members who represent their memory with displays and artifacts -- will meet museum visitors and converse about those historic events at Airbase Arizona.
• Nov. 13, 10 am to 4 pm daily -- Take Me Home Huey Exhibition. Take Me Home Huey is a sculptural installation created by Steve Maloney from the remains of a U.S. Army Huey helicopter shot down in 1969 during a medical rescue in Vietnam. It will be exhibited at Airbase Arizona until late January 2016.

Airbase Arizona is the largest unit of the Commemorative Air Force and has been based at Falcon Field since 1978. 40,000 visitors per year Get Their Hands on History in Its flight programs with seven warbirds and 30,000 square foot museum. For more information contact [email protected].

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SOURCE Commemorative Air Force