Hello Tom DeMier

February has been an pretty exciting month. First I received the photo of the 'Jalopy' in flight with the 44th Bomb Group from Roger Fenton. (I'm still very happy about this!) Today I received a few a few comments and en email from Tom DeMier, of Joplin (where else?) regarding the flight from Altus to Joplin.

I also remember the Joplin Jalopy. I have a 35mm photo of the Joplin Jalopy. It was taken by my father, O.L. DeMier, along with its crew the day it arrived in Joplin. O.L. DeMier was a pilot and a colonel [in] the CAP (Civil Air Patrol). Jalopy was purchased by the War Dads organization using donations, most of which was collected from students taken up at local schools.

One of the crew on the flight to Joplin was my uncle, Orville Veirs, who regularly flew a "Super C-47" over the "Hump" in the Burma theatre of WW II. My uncle was from Miami Oklahoma. He went to help fly the plane back from Oklahoma because of his multi engine military pilot experience.

It is sad that the plane was gradually vandalized to the point it was scrapped.

Tom - this is very interesting. You may know already - I've sent you an email!