The Wild Blue Younder
September 5th, 2007THE WILD BLUE YOUNDER
by
Leon C. Metz
This West Virginia hillbilly is an El Pasoan today primarily because I spent four years, 1948-1952, at Biggs Air Force Base working on aircraft propellers. In those days I was attached to the 97th Bomb Wing, but after completion of service I decided to make my home in El Paso. And have never regretted it.
But the 97th Bomb Wing isn’t today’s subject. Today I’m writing about the 98th Bomb Group Wing, still an active Wing that emerged out of the 98th Bomb Group of WW 11 fame, as well as later in Korea, Vietnam and other actions.
And the 98th left a history in the form of a hard cover book entitled “FORCE FOR FREEDOM: THE LEGACY OF THE 98th. It was published in 1990, hardcover, somewhat oversized, with multiple photos, plus a listing of 98th veterans.
Therefore, this coming Saturday, September 22, the 98th Veterans Association will be special guests at the annual air show at Biggs Air Force Base. And the 98th THUNDERBIRDS will be the featured performers. Woww!!! This is something even the kids have to watch.
During World War 11, the 98th Group found itself first stationed first in Egypt, there acquiring the fascinating nickname of the “Pyramiders.” And from Egypt, it became the first bomb group to fly into action again Germany and Italy.
The 98th flew over 400 missions, dropping more tonnage than any other Army Air Force Bomb Group. Wherever targets were assigned, from North Africa to Italy, they were there, guns loaded, bomb bay doors open.
In terms of total effective flying time, the figure reached a jaw dropping figure of 60,563.28 hours in the air. But the 98th paid a price too, overall losing 108 aircraft.
In later wars the 98th relentlessly pounded North Korea, following that years later by becoming involved with the new conflict in Vietnam. There the 98th went in with B-47s.
The 98th Bomb Wing today is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas, Nevada, the current home of Air Force experimental and developmental projects, overall utilizing the very large air space reservation covering a significant portion of the state. This is the site where, several years ago, the so called “smart bomb” was developed, it being delivered with incredible accuracy.
This same base also developed the Predator, a remotely controlled drone aircraft, which could precisely place up to a 1,000 pound bomb on a target thousands of miles away, and all within minutes.
So there we have it folks. This book may or may not be for sale on site, but it contains several maps, a multitude of black and white photographs, plus a listing of dates and places of each historic bomb group mission.
So this weekend, why don’t we all head out to Biggs Air Force Base, and see the 98th not in action, but on the ground as well as in the air.
At the same time we can meet and visit with some of America’s greatest air heroes from WW 11 to the present.
Believe it or not, just being there makes you and I each a part of history.