Welcome to the Hill Air Force Aerospace Museum, and an afternoon with the greatest man alive!
I copied most of this from my sis, so thanks Shiner! The adorable Stailey family let me join them on a super fun summer field trip before school started for the boys. I'd like to think that if I had kids this is exactly what I would do on a summer day with my grandpa.
I copied most of this from my sis, so thanks Shiner! The adorable Stailey family let me join them on a super fun summer field trip before school started for the boys. I'd like to think that if I had kids this is exactly what I would do on a summer day with my grandpa.
It doesn't get any better than this. Grandpa Tueller walking and holding hands with Duncan! 
The big plane below is one that Grandpa would fly by to protect from the Germans. He was in the smaller planes (the fighter pilots) and these were the big guys with more people and cargo (the bomber pilots). He said that they would give everyone a personality test. The people that were ones to make quick decisions, liked to be loners, were fast thinkers, outgoing, and adventurous were asked to be the fight pilots. The easy going, even keeled, go with the flow, by the book kind of guys were asked to be the bomber pilots. Very cool stuff. 
The one below is a picture of a replica of the Wright brother's first plane. It was in 1903 (same year the Yankees were established :) that they first had the idea of flight with their plane. Can you believe all that has happened within those few short 108 years?! WOW! 
They had a little statue of a bulldog next to the Wright brother's plane and the boys and I loved it!
He is THE greatest tour guide ever. Ethan was more excited this visit than he was a couple of years ago because this time he couldn't wait to read all the explanations about the planes. He was explaining this to me on the ride up and I told him he should be excited because he is such an excellent reader! And his response was, "Well, I don't want to brag, but I kind of am!" I love that kid!
Introducing the P-47 "Thunderbolt!" Here is the mother of all planes. The colonel said that this was the greatest plane. He loved his. On the sides of his plane he had "Rosanne" (my mom's name) and on the other side it said "the destroying angel." He flew over 2000 hours in this plane. He flew 100's of missions, and fought off German planes in one of these. 6 of those missions he went out in a squadron of approximately 6-8 other fighter pilots and came back ALONE. The only one to survive SIX times! Not to mention the many times he came back one of three, or one of five. Honestly, I don't know how he is alive. The P-47 is a one man plane, and that one man is in charge of out maneuvering, out flying, and shooting the machine guns all at the same time. Can you say Rock STAR?! Way to go you bad A grandpa! I am always SO proud!
Now the P-51 "Mustang!" Gramps spent over 1500 hours in this type of plane. He flew this during the second part of the war. 
Dunc LOVED the airplanes. He wanted to fly in one so badly. Given the chance he would have hopped in a cock pit! Melinda turned her back from him for a minute and I watched Duncan duck under the ropes and head up the back of a black hawk helicopter ramp, ready to load up for duty. 
This is the plane that my grandpa flew right after the war. He said it was a piece of crap, and that the p-51 was much better. Grandpa said the planes never came with instruction manuals so they would ask the pilots to just give the planes a test run and let them know if they found any problems--comforting, I know. One early flight in the plane below, the Colonel said the plane put him in an "abnormal" spin so he was going to eject and opened the cockpit door which in this plane was like the door on a car and opened out and not up. When he opened the door out, it served like another little wing and it put him into a "normal" spin and he was able to pull the plane out of the spin (with his door open the entire time) and land it all intact without ejecting. (Once again can you imagine that being just another day at work?!) When he landed he said he told his superior that the plane was "a piece of crap" so America ended up selling them all to the Russians. Oh man, Melinda and I laughed and laughed about that story! I had not heard that story ever before!
This was cool. It was the women of the Air Force Exhibit. Dunc was enthralled with the whole thing! All these ladies flying airplanes. Who knew?! I think he just liked the ladies. ;)
This was the type of plane that the Colonel flew when he was first training to be a pilot. He spent many an hour in one of these.
This is the airplane that the Colonel would fly when they lived in England. He was in charge of rating the other training pilots. He would fly to different bases and give them surprise tests to see if they were ready. He said he would fly above them, and grade them. If they didn't pass the soonest they could try again was 6 months. He said that the Turkish pilots were the worst and would always fail. Oh man he was makin' us LAUGH! He said that the Turks didn't like to fly at night or in bad weather, so he would show up at night or during bad weather on purpose. They called him "the flying mortician" because he had the power to make or break them. What a cool guy.
Xena and her hobbit. Grandpa calls me Xena the warrior princess, and he always refers to himself as a hobbit. He is hilarious! He is a small guy, but not THAT small. He has such a great sense of humor!
He is THE greatest tour guide ever. Ethan was more excited this visit than he was a couple of years ago because this time he couldn't wait to read all the explanations about the planes. He was explaining this to me on the ride up and I told him he should be excited because he is such an excellent reader! And his response was, "Well, I don't want to brag, but I kind of am!" I love that kid! Introducing the P-47 "Thunderbolt!" Here is the mother of all planes. The colonel said that this was the greatest plane. He loved his. On the sides of his plane he had "Rosanne" (my mom's name) and on the other side it said "the destroying angel." He flew over 2000 hours in this plane. He flew 100's of missions, and fought off German planes in one of these. 6 of those missions he went out in a squadron of approximately 6-8 other fighter pilots and came back ALONE. The only one to survive SIX times! Not to mention the many times he came back one of three, or one of five. Honestly, I don't know how he is alive. The P-47 is a one man plane, and that one man is in charge of out maneuvering, out flying, and shooting the machine guns all at the same time. Can you say Rock STAR?! Way to go you bad A grandpa! I am always SO proud!
Now the P-51 "Mustang!" Gramps spent over 1500 hours in this type of plane. He flew this during the second part of the war. Dunc LOVED the airplanes. He wanted to fly in one so badly. Given the chance he would have hopped in a cock pit! Melinda turned her back from him for a minute and I watched Duncan duck under the ropes and head up the back of a black hawk helicopter ramp, ready to load up for duty.
This is the plane that my grandpa flew right after the war. He said it was a piece of crap, and that the p-51 was much better. Grandpa said the planes never came with instruction manuals so they would ask the pilots to just give the planes a test run and let them know if they found any problems--comforting, I know. One early flight in the plane below, the Colonel said the plane put him in an "abnormal" spin so he was going to eject and opened the cockpit door which in this plane was like the door on a car and opened out and not up. When he opened the door out, it served like another little wing and it put him into a "normal" spin and he was able to pull the plane out of the spin (with his door open the entire time) and land it all intact without ejecting. (Once again can you imagine that being just another day at work?!) When he landed he said he told his superior that the plane was "a piece of crap" so America ended up selling them all to the Russians. Oh man, Melinda and I laughed and laughed about that story! I had not heard that story ever before!
This was cool. It was the women of the Air Force Exhibit. Dunc was enthralled with the whole thing! All these ladies flying airplanes. Who knew?! I think he just liked the ladies. ;)
This was the type of plane that the Colonel flew when he was first training to be a pilot. He spent many an hour in one of these.
This is the airplane that the Colonel would fly when they lived in England. He was in charge of rating the other training pilots. He would fly to different bases and give them surprise tests to see if they were ready. He said he would fly above them, and grade them. If they didn't pass the soonest they could try again was 6 months. He said that the Turkish pilots were the worst and would always fail. Oh man he was makin' us LAUGH! He said that the Turks didn't like to fly at night or in bad weather, so he would show up at night or during bad weather on purpose. They called him "the flying mortician" because he had the power to make or break them. What a cool guy.
Xena and her hobbit. Grandpa calls me Xena the warrior princess, and he always refers to himself as a hobbit. He is hilarious! He is a small guy, but not THAT small. He has such a great sense of humor!
Salute the US air force. Dunc really means business with his double behind the head salute. :) 
This is just like the seat that my Colonel Tueller sat in in his plane.
Dang, that is a small space!!
I love this picture of the awesome transporter helicopter off to the side and the flag in the background! Our flag is just the most beautiful one around don't you think?
My 90 year old grandfather is a stud!
This dress was completely made out of parachutes from the pilots. Their parachutes were made out of silk and the ladies didn't want it to go to waste, so they would keep the parachutes and make wedding dresses and party dresses out of them. We wanted that dress right there!
Grandpa got each of the little guys a tiny airplane. Ethan rolled into the gift shop and requested a "P-47, one like my Grandpa Tueller flew!". Deron and Melinda got hats that have the P-51 on them and I got a hat that has the P-47 on it.
The Colonel--you gotta love him! How cute are Melinda and Deron's boys all lined up like ducks in a row!
Afterwards, we all went to Chuck-a-Rama and had a great lunch! It was such a wonderful day. Any day with either grandpa or my sister is pure joy to me! I love my grandpa so much. The man's life has been spared so many times and I just can't thank him enough for all that he has done for me and for this country. Thanks to all the service men and women who are the total epitome of brave and courageous. I feel overwhelmed when I think about it, and I have such an intense feeling of awe and reverence. Thanks grandpa, God bless you and God bless America! (I'm also running for President 2012 lol)
5 comments:
Oh how I love this post! I can only imagine what a one of a kind experience it was to be there with your own personal tour guide! What an honor it must have been to hear so many stories and stand there with him in awe. What an honor! I wish I could get my grandpa to even speak of that war!
Dave and I went to an air and space museum last year and had a wonderful time. I love museums and this one was amazing. But what makes your trip to Hill so great is that your grandpa was your tour guide! What a perfect memory for you and Melinda's family to have him with you as he flew you down memory lane. It was the kind of day you could put in your pocket and keep close forever.
My boys have wanted to go there for a long time. I have been too lazy to take them but it looks like fun we will have to do it. Of course we wouldn't have the personal tour guide unless you are renting your grandpa out.
You know sometimes I really miss you and wish you still lived a block away.
You have my vote! Megan 2012. HA! I love it. Gramps is the best. That was a blast of a day. Let's say we do it again maybe possibly tomorrow!? Perfect. I don't have anything going on either. See you in the morning. Maybe instead we kidnap grandpa,( we can pick him up on the corner of Big fellow and Canyon Crest) take him to Wendover, and enjoy a couple a tip backs while living the dream on the loot we picked up at Key bank on the way outta town! LOL!!!!! LWT!
I loved this post. I have such an amazing grandfather who served in WWII as well. He has compiled his war stories into a book for his grandchildren, which I find to be fascinating. I love them! Thanks for sharing :)
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