HSMPS Thanks The Air Force
for Welcoming BB-61
Trademark 2002
HISTORIC SHIPS MEMORIAL AT PACIFIC SQUARE ("HSMPS") is gratified by the high level of community support for IOWA's arrival in the San Francisco Bay Area. To demonstrate our profound appreciation, members of our committee are thanking many organizations. Some of the organizations visited include:
60TH AIR MOBILITY WING, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
On July 11, 2001 in the true spirit of inter-service cooperation, committee members Paul Gomez, George Bisharat, Jeremy Bonnelle,
Jo Ann Fawcett, Nancy Martino, Merylin Wong and Bill Stephens traveled to Travis Air Force Base
in California
to acknowledge
and thank the 60th Air Mobility Wing for the spectacular KC-10 air tanker flyover of the
IOWA, when the
battleship arrived in the Bay Area on April 20-21.
At the Base's weekly staff meeting, the crew and command structure were honored with lithographs of IOWA
and
Certificates of Appreciation from HSMPS and the Navy League of the United
States, Marin County Council. (The photo above shows
HSMPS, with Brigadier General T. Kane who is holding lithograph's right
frame, flight crew
and air controller of the IOWA flyover. Lower left, HSMPS Director and Officer of the
Veterans Association of the USS IOWA, Paul Gomez presenting lithographs of the
IOWA to airmen of the IOWA flyover.)
Afterwards, committee members were taken out to the flight line to get a first hand look at these enormous DC-10 tankers. That tour included everything from the flight deck to the refueling boom operator station in the rear of the aircraft. It is significant to note that these giant flying gas stations refuel Navy fighters in the Persian Gulf. Fuel is carried in the belly of the plane while cargo can be taken on the main deck. Though these aircraft typically refuel fighters, they can provide fuel to other aircraft, including other DC-10s. The Wing's Commander, Brigadier General Thomas Kane, was on the flight line and HSMPS was able to meet him and present a special lithograph commemorating the Wing's participation in welcoming IOWA. This print shows IOWA and a KC-10, along with IOWA's and the Wing's logo. There is a special inscription thanking the Air Force:
To USAF 60th AIR MOBILITY WING, Travis AFB, Calif. Our Grateful Appreciation and Applause to USAF for the Flyover of USS IOWA on 21 Apr 2001, Benicia, CA.
Presented by Marin County Council, Navy League of the United States and Historic Ships Memorial at Pacific Square, 11 Jul 2001.
Photo Captions
Brigadier General Thomas Kane accepts special commemorative lithograph from HSMPS Director Bill Stephens with committee members Joe Pruzzo, Merylin Wong, and George Bisharat present (upper left). Some of the flight crew and controller of the DC-10 IOWA flyover at Travis AFB (upper right).