WEST CHICAGO, ILL. (July 14, 2011) – The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation will be conducting a “Medal of Honor Educational Program” at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, July 22, at DuPage Airport in West Chicago, Ill. The program will feature the world’s only flying B-29 Superfortress and honor five Medal of Honor recipients. The B-29 FIFI is part of the Commemorative Air Force’s (CAF) fleet of more than 150 historic aircraft.
The program will use the life experiences of our living Medal of Honor recipients to teach lessons to students on the important concepts of Courage, Commitment, Sacrifice and Patriotism. The lessons do not glorify or glamorize war; rather, these dramatic “living histories” encourage students to consider courage from their own perspectives.
“The Medal of Honor Educational Program shows how our youth today can learn and carry into adulthood the virtues of democracy, and can be taught the importance of service to the community and country. These are the virtues that have made this nation great,” says John T. Glotzbach, the Chicago representative of the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation.
“We are proud to participate in this event for the youth of Chicago and the Medal of Honor recipients,” said Stephan Brown, President/CEO of the Commemorative Air Force. “We are honored to be presented the opportunity to host the Medal recipients at our B-29 Superfortress FIFI and P-51 Mustang Gunfighter. The CAF is home to more than 150 airplanes that we maintain and fly as a tribute to these veterans. We honor American Military Aviation through flight, exhibition and remembrance, bringing history to life for new generations of Americans.”
The Medal of Honor recipients are in Chicago for a weekend of education and fundraising on behalf of the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The Commemorative Air Force is participating in DuPage Airport “Community Day’s Weekend” July 22 to 25 as part of the airplanes Midwest tour.
The event will take place at the DuPage Airport Flight Center .The address is 2700 International Drive, West Chicago, Ill. Guests are asked to enter through the main entrance located across from the base of the control tower and proceed to the Third Floor Conference Room.
Agenda:
9:00 a.m.
FIFI will be open for tours.
10:30 a.m.
Medal of Honor recipients will begin their educational “Living History” program in the DuPage Airport Flight Center Third Floor Conference Room.
11:30 a.m.
Medal of Honor recipients will take a flight on FIFI, the world’s only flying B-29 Superfortress and P-51 Mustang Gunfighter.
About the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation:
The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation was founded by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, which consists exclusively of the living Medal of Honor recipients. The Foundation is a nonprofit organization. The Foundation reaches out to the citizens of America, particularly its youth, to promote an awareness of what the Medal of Honor represents and how ordinary Americans through courage, sacrifice, selfless service and patriotism can challenge fate and change the course of history. There are no better ambassadors to take this message to the American people than the Medal of Honor recipients themselves who embody these values through their incredible acts of bravery. The work of the Foundation is aimed at promoting awareness of what America’s highest military award for valor in combat represents.
About the CAF’s B-29 Superfortress:
Late in 1974, the CAF's B-29 was christened FIFI and joined the other World War II fighters and bombers to preserve the memories and teach lessons of mankind's greatest war. In 2006, the B-29 was grounded by the CAF due to recurring engine trouble and after four grueling years of work by volunteer-members, FIFI returned to the skies in late 2010 with a new lease on life. She has been refitted with new custom built engines that are a combination of the R-3350-95W and R-3350-26WD engines. The re-engine project and subsequent return to flight is due in large part to the generosity of Jim Cavanaugh, founder of the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison, Texas. For more information visit www.cafb29b24.org.About the CAF:
Collecting, restoring and flying vintage historical aircraft for more than half a century, the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) ranks as one of the largest private air forces in the world. The CAF is dedicated to Honoring American Military Aviation through flight, exhibition and remembrance. A non-profit educational association, the CAF has more than 8,000 members and a fleet of 153 airplanes distributed throughout the country to 72 units located in 27 states for care and operation. For more information, visit www.commemorativeairforce.org or call (432) 563-1000.
