HEBER CITY — During World War II, Jackson Wells and Malcom McGregor flew in 62 different missions for the 8th Air Force, bombing German industrial plants, aircraft manufacturers, oil fields, submarine pens and a variety of other military targets in two of the biggest, baddest, heavy-duty planes of the era.
Almost 60 years later, the veterans will be on board big bombers again next week for their 63rd combined mission.
This time, Wells and McGregor, former 1st lieutenants in the 306th Bomb Group, will be guests in the B-17 Flying Fortress "Nine O Nine" and the B-24 Liberator "Dragon and His Tail" that are scheduled to invade Heber City's airspace Tuesday at about 3:30 p.m.
When thunder shakes the blue sky, you'll know they've arrived.
"To see and hear 9,600 horsepower (engines) will get a lot of attention," Wells said.
Organizers of the Wings of Freedom Tour sure hope so. The planes — called "the backbones of American air power in WWII" by the show-sponsoring Collings Foundation — will be on display at the Heber Valley Aero Museum at the Heber City Municipal Airport from Tuesday until Thursday afternoon.
Tours and flights on the "flying museums," which serve as a tribute and hands-on teaching tools, will be offered. The Liberator, the only fully restored and flying Consolidated B-24 in the world, flew under the British flag and saw combat in the Pacific Theater in the latter part of the war. The B-17, built in 1945 and only one of 100 or so left, served in rescue and transport missions.
"I think it'll be great for people who've never seen 'em," McGregor said. "It's a rare experience to see them in the air."
It's also a good chance to browse around the new airmuseum, a fascinating work-in-progress that includes a hangar full of WWII displays, artifacts, photos, books, videos and refurbished planes such as a T-28 and a Stearman. They might even catch a glimpse of a refurbished P-51, WWII's prize fighter plane, owned by the airfield's namesake, Russ McDonald.
At least four local veterans — Wells, McGregor, glider pilot Burnis Watts and P-40 fighter Harry Moyer — will be on hand to teach history and tell war stories that sound like they're straight from a Hollywood script.
For instance, Wells, a spry 80-year-old, vividly remembers a particularly harrowing moment when the B-17 Flying Fortress he was piloting came under enemy attack.
The 70,000-pound bomber flown by Wells and his crew of 10 had suffered serious damage from a hellish flurry of flak. Two of its four 1,200-horsepower engines had seized up from the attack. Making it worse, the malfunctioning propellers were on the same side of the plane. Wells could only turn one way. And — wouldn't ya know it? — the B-17 was rumbling deep into the heart of German airspace.
"I was thinking, 'We can't get back,' " recalled Wells.
Wounded and weary, "Pretty Baby" safely chugged its way across western Europe. It eventually survived a crash-landing at its base outside of Thurleigh, England.
"That wasn't an unusual story," Wells said. "Just another day at the office."
Easy for him to say.
McGregor wasn't so lucky on his last flight.
In September 1944, McGregor's B-24 Liberator, the "Fort Worth Maid," was shot down by the Germans. McGregor, a bombardier on his 34th mission, was captured by German soldiers shortly after hitting the ground outside of Barth, Germany. He was a prisoner of war for seven months until being liberated by the Russians on May 1, 1945.
"I have indelible pictures on my mind of what happened that day," he said. "I parachuted out at about 22,000 or 23,000 feet. I sprained my ankle and had shrapnel in my leg."
McGregor said he was fortunate to be found by soldiers instead of civilians. Some of the civilians — mad about the ongoing bombing of their lands — killed seven Allied personnel they found that day. The German soldiers dumped McGregor and the other 124 captured Americans in a prisoner camp, which was barely better than being killed at the time.
"You never knew what was going to happen next," McGregor said. "I was in solitary confinement for three days. That was a very unpleasant experience. I don't recommend it."
Wings of Freedom Tour tickets available
Visitors can buy tickets ($7 for adults, $3 for children) to tour both aircraft at Heber City's air museum. A 30-minute flight experience in the B-17 or B-24 is also available for a tax-deductible donation of $350. Tours will go from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday; 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday; and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday.
E-MAIL: jody@desnews.com