Flying memories

Deepa Bharath

Duane Maybay looked up to the skies, clutching a point-and-shoot

camera in his right hand.

The sun shined brightly on Monday’s warm afternoon, when temperatures

soared to more than 80 degrees at John Wayne Airport. Maybay and several

other World War II veterans awaited the arrival of two bombers -- a B-17

Flying Fortress and a B-24 Liberator -- aircraft that were mean flying

machines in their day.

The classic World War II planes, part of the nationwide Wings of

Freedom Tour sponsored by the Collings Foundation, will be on display at

the airport until Thursday.

As the B-24 landed, Maybay pointed to it with excitement, asking his

buddies to move closer to the piece of history that he said brought back

many, many memories.

“It’s just nostalgia for those of us who flew them,” he said. “I was

in the 451st Bomb Group and flew 35 missions between 1944 and 1945.”

Maybay saw the B-24 two years ago in Florida and said his daughter

gave him the gift of a ride in the aircraft he had flown decades ago.

“It was great,” he said. “It was emotional. I had tears in my eyes.”

Mike Brown was a B-24 bombardier and served 34 missions during the

war. On the last one, his plane was shot down over Hungary. Brown then

spent a year as a prisoner of war in Germany.

“It’s the bad food situation that I remember the most about those

days,” he recalled. “They gave us cabbage and potatoes, but there was

never enough food.”

About five years ago, the Hungarian government sent Brown a piece of

the B-24 he crashed in.

“If not for shows like this, nobody is going to know what happened and

what we went through,” he said. “Everything so many brave people did

would’ve been in vain.”

Al Olivari was an enlisted bombardier aboard a B-17 and flew 26

missions in 1944.

“This is history; it’s a flying museum,” he said. “People like me, we

like to gather here and tell stories. A lot of people like to listen to

them.”

Steve Rubio and his 6-year-old son came to the show to sample that

piece of history Olivari talked about.

“I watch a lot of History Channel,” Rubio said. “I was also in the

Marine Corps. And I just wanted us to see the historic airplanes from the

war.”

Jim Gould said he has a brother-in-law who flew bombers in World War

II.

“I just wanted to get a closer look at it,” he said.

For the veterans who came, of course, setting their eyes on the planes

one more time brought forth a mixed bag of feelings and emotions.

“It’s a constant reminder of those men and women who put their best

foot forward and sacrificed their lives for freedom,” Olivari said.

“As for me, I got out of it,” he said. “No injuries, just memories.”

FYI:

The bombers will be on display from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and

Wednesday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at Signature Flight Support at

John Wayne Airport. The Collings Foundation requests a donation of $7 for

adults and $3 for children to tour through both planes. Thirty-minute

flights are available in either aircraft for $350. Parking is $2 and in

front of the display on Mantz Road. Information: (949) 930-4813.

* Deepa Bharath covers public safety and courts. She may be reached at

(949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at o7 deepa.bharath@latimes.comf7 .