Driving F-15 "Eagles" with the Oregon Air National Guard 123rd Fighter Squadron

Two fighter pilots from the 123rd Fighter Squadron stationed at the Portland Air Base will talk about flying F-15s to the 8th Air Force Historical Society on November 4, 2006 at the Beaverton Elks Lodge

(PRWEB) October 21, 2006 -- Fighter planes change - but the spirit and drive of the pilots who fly the planes are identical to those who flew combat in World War I. Two pilots from the Oregon Air National Guard's 123rd Fighter squadron will be talking about their modern combat experiences at the next meeting of the 8th Air Force Historical Society (8thAFHS) on November 4, 2006 at the Elks Lodge in Beaverton.

Portland Air Base is located across from Pearson Air Field at the Portland International Airport. Pearson Airfield was an important Army Air Corps base up through the 1940s. Before that Swan Island was a main Army airfield (and one member of the chapter's 8th AF was stationed there in 1942.)

The 123rd has one of the oldest F-15s on the books (an F-15A) as well as some modernized versions keeps these pilots sharp as they are the only fighters on the West Coast from Northern California to Canada.

Meetings are free and open to the public. You do not have to be a member to attend any meeting.

Doors open at 10:00 for the August 12, 2006 meeting and the meeting adjourns at 2 PM. Social hour starts at 10:30. Call to order of the meeting starts at 11:30. Lunch starts at Noon and the presentation starts at 1 PM.

The meeting room in on the North side of the building. Drive past the main entrance to park in the rear and enter through the rear entrance into the meeting room.

Lunch can be purchased at the Elks Lodge and costs $9.50 per person. Lunch consists of sandwiches, rolls, condiments and coffee or tea. You must contact Tom Philo at 503-350-3744 ONLY if you plan to eat at the meeting so he can get an accurate headcount. You can also notify him via e-mail.

The Beaverton Elks Lodge address is:

3500 SW 104th Avenue

Beaverton, Oregon 97005-1941

Elks Lodge web site: http://www.teleport.com/~elks1989

The 8th AFHS main web site is at: http://www.8thafhs.org

The Oregon chapter web site is at: http://www.8thafhsoregon.com/

Meetings are held on the first Saturday of the first full week of February, May, August, & November. (Exception: due to Veterans Day falling on the 11th the November meeting in 2006 will be held on the 4th.)

The "Mighty Eighth" is the United States Army Air Forces Bomber and Fighter Command that flew strategic precision daylight bombing missions against Germany in World War II from July 4, 1942 until May 8, 1945 - VE Day - in Europe.

Meetings are free and anyone can attend. You do not have to be a member to attend any meeting.

People interested in learning more about the 8th Air Force, or to pass on what they know to others concerning the 8th AF contribution and other aviation unit histories that brought victory to the Allies in the European theatre of war (ETO) or other combat theatres, are encouraged to join the Oregon Chapter. Please fill out a membership form at the meeting. The annual dues is $10. In addition, you have to join the national organization whose dues are $25 a year. The national chapter puts out a quarterly magazine while the Oregon chapter puts out a quarterly newsletter.

The Oregon Chapter of the Eighth Air Force Historical Society is a registered non-profit corporation in the State of Oregon. Money contributed above the annual dues is normally tax-deductible.

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