Port Wentworth's STAND UP FOR AMERICA DAY honors America's service men and women, past and present.

May 15, 2010  Armed Forces Day

Also on May 15, we are offering a Model Airplane building class. The class is FREE & child's admission is included with the purchase of a model airplane. World War II model airplanes are on sale at the Museum Gift Store for $12. Classes will be held at 10 am, 1 pm & 3 pm. Spaces are limited; to save your spot in the class please contact Heather.

Paul Grassey

World War II Veteran of the month Paul Grassey,
and his crew

Paul Grassey left Virginia Tech Military School and enlisted in the Army Air Force in November 1942.  He received his wings at Stutggart, Arkansas and was assigned to B-24's.  He received orders for the 446^th Bombardment Group, 8^th Air Force, Bungay, England and flew thirteen combat missions.

After the war, Paul returned to school and graduated in 1948 from Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania.  During school, he participated in the first College World Series in baseball. 

Paul was employed with the Burroughs Corporation (in computer sales management) for thirty seven years.  After "retiring" from Burroughs, he became Director of Marketing for Sweda International, Cash Registers and Point of Sales Systems.  In 1988, Paul moved to Savannah and began working for Heartland Payment Systems.  He continues today to market credit card and payroll processing systems for them.

Paul has served as a docent for the museum since the day it opened and continues to volunteer a great deal of time to help visitors understand the role the 8^th Air Force played in ending the the war in Europe. Over the past fourteen years he has given hundreds of presentations, tours and interviews throughout the museum and Georgia in support of the museum and veteran's causes.  Paul is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of the Museum.  He took a trip to Washington D.C. as a part of the Honor Flight Program. 

Paul became a member of the Savannah Wing of the Eighth Air Force Historical Society and served as is commander for three years and Board Chairman for four years.  In this capacity he supported the establishment of the Birthplace Chapter.

T. T. Tryba carved and painted this wooden maintenance division organizational chart.

The Roger A. Freeman Eighth Air Force Research Center is dedicated to promoting research on Eighth Air Force history and to expanding its priceless collection of over nine thousand books significant to the history of the Eighth Air Force as well as original manuscripts, photographs, oral history interviews and personal accounts, artifacts and works of art.  Now following their final reunion the BAD 2 Association has donated their historical collection to the research center.  In doing this they join other Eighth Air Force Bomb Group and Fighter Group Associations including the 303rd Bomb Group, the 357th Fighter Group, and the 491st Bomb Group.  BAD 2 or Base Air Depot 2 was stationed at Warton, England and concentrated on maintenance of B-24 Liberators and P-51 Mustangs.  The men of BAD 2 prepared these aircraft for combat and repaired those with major battle damage.  By the end of the war over 10,000 aircraft had been processed by BAD 2. 

This sign marked the entrance to BAD 2

Two items included in the recently received BAD 2 collection were taken to each of their reunions.  One is the original air base sign for Warton that hung at the base entrance during World War II.  A second item is a painted and carved wooden maintenance division organizational chart.  Crafted by T. T. Tryba about twenty years ago, this organizational chart displays a tiger and a P-51 Mustang with "Spare Parts" carved above the wing.  Next is the actual chart in the form of a tree with branches.  Base Headquarters forms the trunk with branches for the mess hall, housing, transport, weight and balance, hydraulics, sheet metal, test flights, props, engine overhaul, aircraft maintenance, supply, inspection, communications, machine shop, welding, instrument overhaul, access overhaul, armament, fueling, and motor pool.  Mr. Tryba worked in maintenance inspection, especially accident investigation, and his chart demonstrates the important role played by BAD 2.