[Bcma-l] CMA Clip Serv: Aviation museums join to recognize historic link
bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca
bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:19:08 -0700
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<b>Aviation museums join to recognize historic link</b></span></font>
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<b>Cross-border deal made wartime flight training possible</b></span></fon=
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Joanne Oostveen, Halifax News Net, Thursday, July 30, 2009</span></font>
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A unique relationship was formed last week between a museum in
Terrell, Texas and the Shearwater Aviation Museum.</span></font>
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A proclamation from the mayor of Terrell was presented to
Woodside-Eastern Passage Coun. Jackie Barkhouse recognizing the
historical relationship between Shearwater and the Number 1 British
Flying Training School in Terrell.</span></font>
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How that relationship was forged is not a well-known story.</span></font>
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Early in the Second World War, British pilots desperately needed
training, but their skies were too dangerous for novice pilots. So
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill asked U.S. President
Franklin Roosevelt to provide training in his country. Since the U.S.
was neutral at the time, the cadets could not openly enter the country
for military training. A clandestine operation was conceived, with the
co-operation of Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon MacKenzie
King, under which cadets could be sent to Canada; then they would
resign from the RAF, and six-month visas were issued by the U.S.
Consul General’s office.</span></font>
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The Terrell site was the first and largest of the training airports in the=
United States and was known as the British Flying Training School. </span>=
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Today, Terrell is home to a museum honouring this commitment.</span></font=
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“Many of the pilots from the United Kingdom who went through
flight training in Terrell during the Second World War travelled
through Shearwater on the way there; that is the connection” said
Rev. Norman Huneycutt, chairman of the board of the BFTS Museum
in Terrell, who travelled to Halifax from Texas to make the</span></font>
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proclamation with his wife, Dr. Janet Huneycutt.</span></font>
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“In honour of this, the two museums will now enjoy a partnership,
share information and artifacts.”</span></font>
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Huneycutt is a licensed pilot, and has been involved with aviation for
most of his life. He was close to many astronauts, including the crew
of several Apollo missions. And in the spirit of the 40th anniversary
of the first moon landing, he said he is proud of his affiliation with
those brave men, and of the pilots who came to the U.S. as young
cadets.</span></font>
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“I continue my involvement with the museum in order to let people
know of the cost of freedom,” he said.</span></font>
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“That is my motivation, and that is our shared history.”</span=
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He said it is very important to continue to inform people of the U.S.,
Canada and Britain of the historical significance of those young
pilots, and he hopes to someday complete the link and include the
United Kingdom as part of the twinning.</span></font>
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“Then the bond will be complete,” he said.</span></font>
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Barkhouse said she appreciates the importance of this occasion, and is
excited about the Texas museum twinning with the Shearwater
Museum.</span></font>
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“The historical significance makes it an appropriate endeavour,&rdqu=
o; she
said. “Thank you to those who have travelled far to share such a
momentous event with us here in HRM.”</span></font>
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