Dallas Composite Squadron -C.R. Smith Museum, Fort Worth, Texas

On Saturday, February 21, 2015, the Dallas Composite Squadron, Texas Wing, headed to the C. R. Smith Museum located near American Airlines Headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas for an Aerospace and Aviation field trip.

Dallas’s own Lt. Ryan Giacomino, an employee of American Airlines in the Flight Training Program Development department at the Flight Academy, made arrangements for an afternoon of fun.  The tour began with a brief film highlighting the history of American Airlines and the role American Airlines played in aviation. Following the history lesson, Lauren Giffin, Education/Program Coordinator and museum docent, led the group on a personal tour of the museum.  The pinnacle of the museum tour was the Douglas DC-3 “Flagship Knoxville”.  Cadets and Senior Members were allowed inside the aircraft.  The cockpit was an amazing sight! Cadet Airman M. Adams had this to say about the plane: “It took a lot of space to carry all the electronic equipment in the old planes.  Having the tail wheel made traveling up and down the fuselage much more interesting because it was so steep.”

After the tour, the group moved to the theatre to watch several vignettes noting the contributions of African-American pilots in celebration of Black History Month.  The Master of Ceremonies, historian Mr. Price, expounded the historical significance of pioneers such as Bessie Coleman, Eugene Jacques Bullard, Charles Bolden, and Emory C. Malick. The presentation concluded with a door prize, a Tuskegee Airman jacket.  Luckily, Captain L. Holub, Deputy Commander for Cadets for the Dallas Composite Squadron, won the jacket! Captain Holub remarked, “I am honored and I can’t wait to wear it to an air show!”

Pictured from left to right: Capt L. Holub, SM M. Eisenberg, Cadet A. Applewhite, C/SMSgt M. Applewhite, C/A1C N. Williams, C/Amn E. Early, C/SrA N. Mars, C/SrA M. Adams, Lt R. Giacmino, and Lt B. Applewhite