Hello all. Hope summer has been a nice one for you even though July started off with scorching temperatures, even here in Milwaukee. As we head into the cooler temperatures of Fall before our convention, I'd like to reinforce for all of us why the Heritage League exists and highlight five important projects we do!
We are here to remember and honor the service and sacrifices of U.S. Military members of the fourteen B-24 LIBERATOR BOMB GROUPS and five FIGHTER GROUPS of the Second Air Division (USAAF) stationed in England during WWII.
Notice one of our top programs, the Welcome Home Honors Program. Starting in 2023, at least one Heritage League member has attended memorial ceremonies for each of the repatriated remains of 2nd Air Division Airmen. Since 2024, our Flower Fund has provided floral tributes for their interment ceremonies. Thank you, John Jurczak, VP of Volunteers, for all your work on coordinating with Defense Department POW/MIA Accounting Agency on recently identified MIAs from the 2nd Air Division.
Also take note of and contribute to our Flower Program, which honors and remembers our 2nd Air Division buried and missing. We provide Memorial Day wreaths at 13 overseas ABMC cemeteries that contain WWII 2nd Air Division KIAs or MIAs, as well as the Welcome Home program I mentioned above. My sincere thanks go to Project Manager, Past President, and currently Governor of the 2nd Air Division Memorial Trust, Beverly Baynes Tomb. By the way, this Trust manages the endowment for the American Library in Norwich and awards scholarships to two American postgraduate students at the University of East Anglia who serve on the library team.
Delivery of the second set of bomb and fighter group newsletters and letters to the Library of Congress from our News of the Greatest Generation project occurred this July. The library now has over 12,288 pages written by our veterans added to their "Veterans History Program." I can't thank Chris Clark, Beverly Baynes Tomb and Brian Mahoney enough for this momentous effort.
This website, heritageleague.org, has a lot to see and learn with news, history, and projects. For your research, past Heritage Herald newsletters and Journals of the Second Air Division are provided. See how to contribute to our various programs, renew membership, access the GREAT volunteer section and, of course, how to contact us.
Remember to register for the 2026 ANNUAL JOINT CONVENTION with 8th Air Force Historical Society in San Antonio, Texas this October 14-18, 2026. We will have a hospitality suite open for all to visit. Get ready for a great convention get-together.
Looking forward to the pleasure of seeing and conversing with you in San Antonio.
It will be fun and a fulfilling "WWII Heritage" experience.
Signing off for now,
Jim Birmingham, President, your Heritage League