There are between 4,000 and 8,000 bright, pink faces around the county today. Great majority of them belong to the throng whose up-turned noggins soaked in the burning sunshine all afternoon Sunday.

The balance of the red faces belong to the air show committee.

Before we go further into the behind the scenes story of the dedication of Memorial Municipal airport, I'm happy to say that there will be a balloon ascension and parachute drop next Sunday afternoon at the airport absolutely free. The committee is paying an extra $175 to bring Don Woods and his equipment back to town next week to complete the show. There will be no charge at all to the patient, long suffering public.

Dogged by a high wind, which almost cost the parachute jumper his life and canceled the balloon ascension, fouled up by the army, the committee dropped better than an hour behind in the timing of the program got no jet planes -- no one knows why.

In spite of these little disasters, experts on the field called it one of the finest, safe and sane air shows they had ever witnessed.

A total of 107 visiting aircraft got in and out of the airport Sunday safely. More than 4,000 persons managed to worm their way through a terrific traffic jam and into the field. An equal number never got into the field at all, but blocked highways in four directions for miles around the airport.

There were 12 men handling admissions at the west gate and eight men selling admissions at the east gate. A hardworking crew from the motorcycle club provided liaison between the harassed committee on the field and the many outposts. These outposts were manned by the Jaycees and Company L of the National Guard. A squadron of Civil Air Patrol from Fort Wayne guarded the edges of the busy runways.

Jake Menzie had established a mobile headquarters on his three-wheeled motorcycle, carried a walkie-talkie radio. It was Jake who was busy riding around beneath the two red flags all afternoon. E. Kaye-Smith was battling against hopeless odds to maintain the schedule. Operator Joe Carlin was concerned with getting the crush of aircraft safely down and parked, then out again as darkness began to catch up with the program.

Carefully worked out ahead of time, the schedule started at five minutes until two, was to have been completed by 4:20 p.m.

Probably the finest piece of flying of the day was pulled off by the Kosciusko county reserve pilots, who brought a flight of 13 aircraft over the field reportedly in tight and perfect formation. Those boys were good!

Precisely at three o'clock came the first lull in the program when the air was cleared for the jet planes. Then no jets came. Finally after what seemed like an endless wait, the committee gave them up and went on with the show. With both the delayed parachute jumper and "Uncle Thud" in the air, a radio message arrived saying that a huge Flying Fortress was five minutes away from the field and was flying "cover" for the jet.

As "Uncle Thud" swooped into the field from the north, here came the big four-engine Fort, buzzing the field from the south. Experienced observers crossed their fingers and prayed. Repeatedly "Thud" and the Fortress passed each other over the field, but didn't get together.

It is believed that the Fortress radioed the jet that the field was not clear and it was too dangerous to come over. Anyway, much to everyone's disappointment, the jet didn't show.

Everyone had the jitters by this time. The boy doing the high altitude jump, Don Bowman, from Bluffton, was at 10,000 feet, waiting to drop. The signal man had to hold Don off till we were certain the jets would not arrive and maybe cut him in two on the way down.

The wind was high when Don jumped. He fell free for 6,000 feet, trailing a "slow-down" streamer. Airmen on the field dug fingernails into their palms when Don's first chute failed to open and promptly tangled with his streamer. His fall continued uninterrupted. It seemed like years before he managed to get free of the mess and open his emergency chute into the high wind. He had fallen better than 8,000 feet by the time he finally got one of the chutes to open.

This caused him to land about a mile away from the field in a woods. It took ground and air searchers 30 minutes to find him. He was unhurt and later got to talk to the crowd. He did not tell all the story.

In the meantime, Cliff Reitzel, who had taken Don to 10,000 feet for the jump, did a beautiful stunting job all the way down. Nervousness was running through observers and actors alike as the show went on. Bob McCombs, up for his fast aerobatics in the Swift, failed to get his "all clear" signal and landed to make certain everything was O.K. before going ahead. The shadow of the missing jets was hanging heavily over all the acts.

The final debacle came at the close of the show when the wind was just too darned high to have a balloon ascension. Don Woods and the balloon will be back to Municipal airport next Sunday afternoon and will put on a balloon ascension, free to all who wish to come.

The Stewart Motors Sales' helicopter stole the show and saved the show. The machine cost $25,000 and is very expensive to operate. Mr. Stewart was on the field. Quickly analyzing the situation, he instructed his pilot to "give them the works, fly the tail off the helicopter."

In all the lulls, the rotary wing craft took to the air, flew backwards, straight up, sideways, straight down and many other tricks. The helicopter along was worth the money.

The air show committee is deeply indebted to all the good people who turned out to see the field dedicated to those brave men of the county who lost their lives in the recent fight for freedom.

The speakers' stand was loaded with celebrities and "high brass," Hobart Creighton was there, Morrison Rockhill was with him. Col. Clarence Cornish, state director of aeronautics, was there with his entire state commission. It was good of those men to come from all over the state to do honor to Warsaw. There were Dr. George Starr, of Indiana university; Gene Dawson, past president of the Aviation Writers' association; Guy Henry, of Muncie; Morrison; and Howard Clark, of Valparaiso. Mr. and Mrs. Clark stayed all night with us, when weather reports back home turned "stinko."

Bill Renshaw, busy little man of the Flying Farmers, came to add his congratulations. Mayor Rice was there. The local board was there --Johnny Widaman, Tony Mathia, Kenneth Stokes, Bill Chinworth and Engineer Donald Lessig. Bob Hall, of the C. of C., did the early honors.

Two hard-working sergeants of the army handled the sound and did a magnificent job.

I know that I have forgotten half the people I should mention and it is impossible to picture for you the many, many tight spots which occurred throughout the day as the committee struggled against weather and red tap to keep the show rolling. But next Sunday we can all watch that scheduled balloon ascension and parachute drop and it won't cost you a cent.

I think I would like to close the show today in the words of the Civil Aeronautics Inspector, Mr. Jackson, who said:

"I've seen many air shows, but I have never seen one any safer and saner and conducted with safety uppermost, than this one. In my opinion the day of the old-fashioned, harem-scarem air show is over. Today, folks have seen a small town airport handle an unbelievable amount of traffic--safely. They have seen all kinds of personal aircraft. They have seen a helicopter do its magic tricks. They have seen a huge four-engine bomber swept by repeatedly. They have seen some of the smoothest, stunt flying possible to do. And above all--it is evident that safety of crowds and air show personnel was kept uppermost at all times. I believe that the Warsaw Municipal airport was dedicated in proper manner. The C.A.A. commends you."

Mr. Jackson, believe me, we thank you for those kind words!

Warsaw Daily Times July 26, 1948