Our agenda included  the  Palm Springs Air Museum  which  we wanted to visit and write about.
We were wearing our cap which proclaims us as a World War ll veteran.  With my group becoming ever more short of supply the Museum docents immediately took  charge and led me up to the second floor where the museum has a huge number of  files containing veterans oral histories. Here they wanted to add my wartime personal experiences to their collection.  Unfortunately I was with a group of Writers who were on a tight schedule of events so time was too short.  However I explained that my personal wartime saga was already written and could be found on my website www.vittlesvoyages.com.  It is entitled “Battle of the Bulge, One Private’s Story”.
The Palm Springs Air Museum is dedicated to American Air Power of World War ll.  Divided in four hangers are the Army Air Corp planes that battled Germans over the skies of Europe and  the Army Air Corp and Navy planes that won the skies over the South Pacific from the Japanese.
Recently planes that took part in the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam have been added to the collection which makes the Palm Springs Air Museum one of the ten best in the world.
 The planes flown in Europe on display include an English Spitfire, victor of the Battle of Britain, as well as the P 51 Mustang whose legendary performance finally mastered the Luftwaffe over the skies of Germany.
One of the planes on display is the B 17 bomber which conducted the raids into the heart of Germany.  I always look with special interest at a B 17 since as a Prisoner of War I was on the receiving end of a most unforgettable bombing raid conducted by these planes.
Besides the Hellcats and Torpedo bombers that played havoc with the Japanese in the Pacific War there are miniatures of U.S. Navy submarines, aircraft carries, cruisers and battleships of that era.  Illustrating some of the battle scenes are the paintings of  Artist Stan Stokes.
The Palm Springs Air Museum is located at the International Airport at 745 N. Gene Autry Trail in Palm Springs.  The Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Besides the exhibition of airplanes both indoors and on the tarmac there are continuous movies and videos and an extensive library.  There is always a series of special events including exhibitions of both historic and modern aircraft.  For more information call 760 778-6262 or check the website www.palmspringsairmuseum.org.  There is an admission charge with free parking.