This is the place where the majority of the warbird (aircraft that have survived military service) discussions will take place. Specialized forums may be added in the new future
Post a reply

B-17 honors CIA people killed in war.

Tue Jun 01, 2010 7:11 pm

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100601/ap_ ... memorial_7

Anybody have pictures or know which B-17 that was?

Re: B-17 honors CIA people killed in war.

Tue Jun 01, 2010 8:32 pm

It should have been this one, just to keep it in the family:

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/b17regis ... 83785.html

... if it were still flying ...

Re: B-17 honors CIA people killed in war.

Tue Jun 01, 2010 9:37 pm

warbird1 wrote:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100601/ap_on_re_us/us_cia_memorial_7

Anybody have pictures or know which B-17 that was?


Yankee Lady

Re: B-17 honors CIA people killed in war.

Wed Jun 02, 2010 9:48 am

Chris Brame wrote:It should have been this one, just to keep it in the family:

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/b17regis ... 83785.html

... if it were still flying ...

Wonder if Evergreen's will ever take to the skies again?

Re: B-17 honors CIA people killed in war.

Wed Jun 02, 2010 9:13 pm

No doubt, if Evergreen's B-17 could talk, the government would have put out a "hit" on it long ago. When I left the company in late 1991, much of it's history was probably still classified but I would think that by now, most of that stuff has been declassifed. I suspect that much of what it did was never recorded in the first place so unless you could find the people involved in the missions and get them to talk about it, that history is probably never going to surface. I wanted to paint it flat black with red numbers on the tail but nobody took me seriously. That seems to be a common theme in my life. :wink:

Re: B-17 honors CIA people killed in war.

Thu Jun 03, 2010 8:41 am

astixjr wrote:but I would think that by now, most of that stuff has been declassifed.



Don't bet on it.... :)
I hear the CIA has a memorial at Langley honoring the people who have died in service to the agency. Most of the names are blank or classified.

They take security very seriously...

Maybe someday it will come out...but I won't hold my breath. :)

Too bad the media and some politicians like to make the CIA a whipping boy...I'd hate to do what its agents do.

Re: B-17 honors CIA people killed in war.

Thu Jun 03, 2010 9:39 am

During my time at Evergreen's Marana base I met more than a few interersting people but back then the entire Avra Valley and the Tucson area in general seemed to be full of fascinating ex-CIA types. I heard a few "stories" but for the most part, you did not ask questions of the "old timers" and you kept your mouth shut about what was going on at "the company". Of course that was and still is the right thing to do but oh how I wished I could get some of those guys to talk. If I had to pick one guy in the valley that I wish I could have talked to more often it would have to be Gar Thorsrud. In my ten years out there in the valley I only met him a few times but what a book he could write! Talk about a shadow, now there was a shadow, spook, ghost, whatever you want to call him. I guess American Hero would fit also. Few people will ever know the things he did for this country and the danger he put himself in for the sake of intelligence info. Here's one interesting link below.

https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for- ... rctic.html

Re: B-17 honors CIA people killed in war.

Thu Jun 03, 2010 10:22 am

I was in Langley once, but have no pictures as they make you leave even your cell phone at the entrance with security. They even make you take the battery out. Never sure why as it wasn't with me anyway. In the one hall they have the seal in the floor with the stars in the wall. I heard the story that no one sees the stars being added. It is done at night. I got to take a tour of the facility as my cousin works for the CIA and so many times a year you can take a family member there. got to see the museum, and bought a shirt that says "The coolest museum you will never see", and a hat that said Air America on it. The one odd thing is that I paid with me debit cards, and the bill said EAA Museum!

Re: B-17 honors CIA people killed in war.

Thu Jun 03, 2010 1:42 pm

It is humbling to stand at that wall, trace your
fingers over those stars and reflect on what they
represent. Chris, did they let you look through
the book with the names in the little case???

Re: B-17 honors CIA people killed in war.

Thu Jun 03, 2010 10:54 pm

mustangdriver wrote:a hat that said Air America on it.


No *Southern Air Transport* hats? :wink:

Image
Post a reply