For more information please contact Nicole Wahlberg, Director of Marketing and Public Relations, Evergreen Aviation Museum, 503-434-4006 or email nicole.wahlberg@sprucegoose.org.

FOR RELEASE

June 8, 2006

 

Military Celebration Includes Living History Presentations and Battles

Evergreen Aviation Museum honors those who have served and are

currently serving in the Armed Forces.

 

MCMINNVILLE, Ore. – Sat. and Sun., Jun. 10-11, 2006 – The Evergreen Aviation Museum is honored to host a series of special military events, including WWII re-enactment battles and veteran presentations that begin at 9 a.m. on Sat., Jun. 10 and continue until 5 p.m. on Sun., Jun. 11.

 

Festivities will begin each day at 9 a.m. with a WWII Living History presentation and outdoor public battle.  This event will be multi-faceted, with living history displays from premier American, Commonwealth, Russian and German re-enactor units. Displays will include uniforms, equipment, firearms and vehicles of the Second World War. 

 

Two WWII themed battles will be performed for the museum guests each day at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.  One battle is a "Normandy, 1944" theme, illustrating the struggle between the Allies and the Axis forces after D-Day in Western Europe. The second battle each day is "Ost Front" themed, illustrating the clash of the Germans and Russians on the vast eastern front of the Second World War. There will be other public demonstrations including horse-mounted German "Kavalrie" and period infantry tactics.

 

Festivities on Sat., Jun. 11 will continue indoors at 10 a.m. with ÒStories of a Vietnam Helicopter Pilot,Ó a presentation by U.S. Army veteran Greg Morley.  At 11 a.m., U.S. Army Ranger Tom Wiggins and Army National Guardsmen Air Assault Specialist Jereme Cocker will present ÒModern Day Warriors,Ó regarding their recent experiences in Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia. At noon, Lt. Col Russell Barney, U.S. 8th Air Force retired, will make a presentation on the B-17 and its illustrious history during WWII. In ÒThe B-17 Crew Operations—the Non-Hollywood Version,Ó Barney tells museum guests as it really was.

 

For more information on the events or to attend, please contact the Evergreen Aviation Museum Events Department at 503-434-4023.

 

The Evergreen Aviation Museum is best known as the home of the worldÕs largest wooden airplane, the Spruce Goose, SR-71 Blackbird, the Titan II SLV Missile and Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat.  In addition, there are more than 80 historic aircraft and exhibits on display, along with artwork, traveling displays, the Spruce Goose CafŽ and the new remodeled Rotors, Wings & Things museum store.  The Evergreen Aviation MuseumÕs hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily except when it is closed for Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New YearÕs Day and Easter. The Museum is located at 500 NE Captain Michael King Smith Way, across the highway from the McMinnville Airport and about three miles southeast of McMinnville, Ore., on Highway 18. Regular visitor admission is required. Call (503) 434-4180 for more information, and visit www.sprucegoose.org.

 

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