In 1998, I began my project of collecting stories from World War 2 veterans and their families for the purposes of preserving and documenting information for future generations to learn. One day, all this information will be donated to the General Patton Memorial Museum.

I have been very fortunate to have interviewed, either by e-mail, snail mail, in-person, or over the phone. To date, I have over 230 veterans in my library, contained in 71 binders, categorized by each military branch. If you are interested in sharing your story, please contact me.
760-218-5512 (Cell)
pdmmm@msn.com

Very respectfully,
Peter D. Minix
Former SGT. U. S. Marine Corps
Former California Army National Guard Member

According to the Army's newsletter, the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 110-181)changed Section 9, Title 4, U.S. Code, which covers conduct during hoisting, lowering or passing of the American flag. The revised language reads "Members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute." While some of us like my esteemed fellow 303rd veteran Bill Heller have been "violating the law" by already saluting, we can now honor our country's flag by "legally" rendering the hand salute. It's a privilege long overdue for veterans in all branches of the military.

“A split crew was common, injuries, etc. Art Pentz and I shared pilot and command duties equally and worked very well together. On the bomb run flak knocked out # 3 and #4 engines. The loss of power caused us to roll out of formation to the right, we went into a tight spin. We were lucky to recover at about 15000 feet when two or more squadrons of Mes109's and FW190's closed in for the kill. We scored two kills and two probables in the hour before we gave up. When we were unable to fly we signaled the German crews who responded by pulling in for a closer look. We waived at each other. The decision to abandon ship was made at 4000 feet. It was then I learned Ben Street, the Navigator, was killed by a piece of flak and that Bombardier Russ Philpit was wounded in the face and hand (partially shot off). I pushed Philpit overboard and was last to leave the ship. German civilians greeted me in a plowed field without hostility. Several other crew members from other downed ships were rounded up and we all spent the night in the local jail. The next morning the Luftwaffe took over. We went to Frankfort on Main for interrogation then to Stalag Luft III, Sagan. We were liberated 21 months later at Mooseburg by General George Patton. Yes, Art Pentz had German blood in him, as I do, and was always calling himself “Von Pentz.” Please note the remark he put in my prison log book (circled). Our ship was Old Ironsides but Art always referred to it as “X-ray.”

The sculpture is a life sized representation of a B-17G made from 1/4 inch steel plate.  It stands 19 feet tall at the tail, and is almost 82 feet from end-to-end.  It is a two-dimensional silhouette, but gives the appearance of being three-dimensional.  This sculpture is intended to honor Hobbs Army Air Field and the men, women and aircraft that served there.  

There is still some cleanup and landscaping to be done, but the plane is on view for anyone to see.  It sits just off the taxiway for runway 21 at what is now Hobbs Industrial Air Park and can be seen from NM Highway 18 just north of Hobbs.  

I do hope that this will be of interest to all who see your fascinating web pages, and I invite everyone to come to Hobbs to see "Fortress on the Plains".  If anyone has any questions or would like more information about the sculpture, they can contact me at bgnorwood75valornet.com .   Thanks!