In the 1920s, several JN-4 “Jenny” aircraft being flown by Army aviators at Vancouver Barracks were deemed obsolete. So they were rolled out onto a field and set on fire.
Venerable aircraft aren’t the only asset of the 321st Observation Squadron that has unfortunately disappeared over the years. So has much of its history.
Bob Cromwell is working to flesh out the story of those Army aviators, including record-breakers and headline-makers who flew during what’s been dubbed the Golden Age of Aviation.
Cromwell, manager of the museum, is among the speakers in a February lecture series at Pearson Air Museum. Cromwell also is acting chief ranger at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.
Aviation lecture series
All lectures are at Pearson Air Museum, 1501 E. Fifth St., Vancouver, and are free.
• 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3
Cameron Smith, Portland State anthropology professor, will discuss the evolution of space suits, including his effort to build his own pressure suit.
• 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10
Marshall “Mac” MacKinnen, Pearson Air Museum volunteer, will discuss the B-52 bomber, including his experiences as a B-52 navigator during the Vietnam War.
• 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20
Mark Smith and Karen Barrow of Century Aviation in East Wenatchee will discuss restoring historic aircraft. They are restoring a 1919 biplane for Pearson.
• 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24
Acting Chief Ranger Bob Cromwell will discuss the Army’s 321st Observation Squadron, based at Pearson Field from 1921-1942.
The series of four lectures — “To the Top of the Atmosphere and Beyond” — begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday, with Cameron Smith’s presentation on space suits.
Cromwell will wrap up the series at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 24, with his lecture on the 321st Observation Squadron, which flew from Vancouver Barracks from 1921 to 1942.
One of their missions was to fly fire patrols over regional forests, Cromwell said.
Exhibits and interpretive panels at the museum offer a lot of information, including the casual destruction of JN-4s that would be worth a fortune today. Still, the definitive history of the Army Air Corps Reserve Squadron remains unwritten, Cromwell said.
Cromwell got some research help through the National Park Service’s Washington D.C. office. A history intern pulled every record at the National Archives and Records Administration associated with the 321st Observation Squadron, Cromwell said.
Although there are thousands of pages of files, there are puzzling lapses in the records. During some early periods of the 321st’s history, its commanding officers are not identified. Cromwell will present an overview of what is known about the squadron, some obvious gaps in the information, and what future research might produce.
In Wednesday’s 7 p.m. series opener, Cameron Smith, a Portland State University anthropology professor, will discuss the history of pressure garments and space suits. Smith will include his effort to develop, build, and test his own pressure suit.
At 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 10, Marshall “Mac” MacKinnen will share his personal memories of the B-52 bomber and his missions over Vietnam. MacKinnen, a National Park Service volunteer, was a navigator in B-52 airplanes during the Vietnam War. He also will discuss the history and development of the B-52 and its pivotal role in military affairs around the globe.
Mark Smith and Karen Barrow of Century Aviation will discuss restoration of old aircraft at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20. The East Wenatchee company is reconstructing a World War I-era De Havilland DH-4 Liberty purchased by the National Park Service for Pearson Air Museum.
The biplane — which won’t be flyable — will be transported to the museum in early August, Barrow said.
