Reflections

IN MEMORIAM: Charnplin Fighter Museum. January 9, 1981 to May 26, 2003. In 22 years, you get to know a lot of people in the museum world. CFM was no different, but a few of the Champlin regulars come readily to mind.

Ralph Heasley, an original docent, served in an SBD squadron on Guadalcanal. Dressed in his salmon-colored blazer, he moved his easy chair into the WW I hangar, dropped anchor by the Pfalz and began to tell visitors about the German fighter. He knew it well, as he flew it in the 1930s. Ralph was in his early 80s when he came to the museum, and Joe Foss met him during WW II. At his own 80th birthday party in 1995, Joe introduced Heasley by saying, "The Navy decided that Ralph was too old for combat duty and sent him home-from Guadalcanal!"

"Stretch" Jennings absolutely loved the museum. It's odd; I knew him for a few years but don't ever recall hearing his given name. Stretch probably logged more time at CFM than anybody who was not paid to show up. He was an accomplished harmonica artist and delighted other patrons with his repertoire. He also left a unique legacy. In 1944, Stretch was the landing signal officer (LSO) aboard the escort carrier USS Guadalcanal (CVE-60) that hunted for German submarines in the Atlantic. When Capt. Dan Gallery's task group captured U-505, Stretch continued waving Grummans aboard-the only LSO who ever gave the cut signal while towing a submarine! He loved the museum so much that his family spread his ashes along the WW II hangar.

Dick Turner was one of the finest people I have ever known. Like Doug, he hailed from Oklahoma and succeeded in military and civilian life. A WW II double ace-and then some-he commanded a P-51 squadron and returned to combat in Korea. Afterward, he became an architect and artist; I still treasure the pencil portraits he produced of fellow pioneer Mustang pilots. Dick settled in Scottsdale and drove to CFM almost every weekday for years. He even allowed us to reprint his memoir "Big Friend, Little Friend" as CFM Press's first title. Tragically, Alzheimer's gripped him, and he had to abandon his treasured tours of the museum. Dick died much too young at 66.

Ralph, Stretch and Dick all treasured their time at CFM, and it prompts some to wonder: do their spirits linger in the hangars? And if they do, will they remain in Mesa or follow the airplanes to Seattle?

Copyright Air Age Publishing Aug 2004
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