The Southern Oregon Warbirds Association is a private, fraternal organization composed of veterans who participated in the wars of our country in a military aviation-related capacity. Currently most are veterans of World War II but there are already a number who served in the Korean, Vietnam, and Gulf wars. People who never participated but have an interest in military aviation are also members of the Association but in an Associate capacity. All are from Roseburg, Oregon, and surrounding southern Oregon communities.

On the other hand, Southern Oregon Warbirds, Inc. is a non-profit Oregon corporation established to document and preserve the history of the participation of these gallant Warbirds in the defense of our country. Our prime purpose is to educate the youth of today in the history and development of military aviation in this country.

The period of World War II was a different era. Morals and ethics and values were so different from today that it seems almost another world. God, country, community, family and self, in that order, with full, active participation in and responsibility for all. In particular the younger generation needs to see and marvel at such selfless dedication. Hopefully this history will convey that overall feeling as well. Coming generations could easily do worse.

The largest single group in the Warbirds is composed of those associated with the big bombers, the B-17, B-24 and B-29, in World War II. The first Warbirds volume, entitled Crews of the Big Bombers, deals exclusively with those men and women who were intimately involved with those big bombers.

This volume covers those involved with all aspects of World War II military aviation except those big bombers, the fighter, attack, transport, and patrol planes. It also includes four stories involving other, non-standard aviation specialties, test, covert operations, combat photography and gliders. A third volume is in work, covering all military aviation after World War II, including Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf War.

We wish you good reading. We hope that you gain a good sense of what it was like in those vibrant days, and what it was like to man those big, powerful military aircraft.

History Committee:
Owen W. Dykema (Chairman), Terry Waddington, and Bill Buckingham.

Adjacent P-38 picture courtesy of The Aviation History On-Line Museum