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SLN seeks historic donations
Smoky Hill Army Air Field was born in the dark, early days of World
War II when America was rushing frantically to build its military strength.
- Schilling Air Force Base dedication ceremony souvenir album, March
16, 1957.
From its hasty ground-breaking ceremony in the spring of 1942 to its
closure in summer of 1965 Smoky Hill Army Air Field and later Schilling Air
Force Base collected countless memories and histories that may be gone, but
with a little help from the community will never be forgotten.
The Salina Airport Authority is in the planning stages of building a museum
dedicated to the men, women and children who built their lives and this
community in those short years. The Authority is now in the process of
collecting memorabilia from all willing sources.
"Right now we're the accumulation process," said Melissa McCoy,
the Authority's manager of public affairs and communications.
"We're looking to the community to help donate whatever they have so
future generations won't miss out on it."
The Authority has amassed all types of memorabilia from matchboxes to full
uniforms. Currently, the Authority has pennants, photos, cookbooks, a
license plate and letters from soldiers and airmen, as well as a one written by a German prisoner of
war held at Internment Camp, Camp Phillips and much more.
Larry Britegam, Sunflower Bank president, has been assisting the Authority
in the collection of these artifacts for a few years now.
"When Tim (Rogers, the Authority's executive director) first talked to
me about a potential museum he was very enthusiastic, which made me more
enthusiastic," said Britegam. "It just took off from there.
I started doing searches on eBay for Schilling, Smoky Hill and Camp
Phillips and surprisingly found a lot of artifacts that families were
starting to get rid of and felt compelled to start buying it holding on to
it knowing someday it would be used for something."
The historic military presence is a big part of why Salina is here. The
aim of the future museum is to teach generations to come what roll that
presence played in Salina's history.
If you have souvenirs or memorabilia of Schilling Air Force Base or Smoky
Hill Army Airfield and would like to donate to the museum or for more
information, please contact the Salina Airport Authority. Donors will
receive proper recognition of their donations and pick up is available.
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