By Maj. Kimberly Garbett
314th Airlift Wing public affairs
Over 250 members of Team Little Rock enjoyed a fun-filled evening of military heritage and camaraderie, June 6, at Hangar 276 for a time-honored military tradition: a dining-in.
The dining-in, especially designed to foster camaraderie and espirit-de-corps, commemorated and honored one of the most famous D-Days, June 6, 1944, the day on which the Invasion of Normandy began, commencing the Western Allied effort to liberate mainland Europe from Nazi occupation during World War II.
Brig. Gen. Rowayne A. Schatz, Jr., 314th Airlift Wing commander, presided as “president of the mess,” while Lt. Col. Aaron Maynard, 62nd Airlift Squadron commander, presided as “Mr. Vice,” ran the festivities in historic tradition.
Numerous military members were sent to toast to “Combat Airlift” that evening in fun-filled fashion for their slight infractions of the rules of the mess.
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jack Downhill, a former commander of the 62nd Airlift Squadron at Little Rock AFB and a former C-130 pilot, flew the second C-47 aircraft to drop paratroopers over the beaches of Normandy June 6, 1944, was guest speaker for Team Little Rock 2008 dining-in. He recounted his memories and reflections of that now infamous day in history, and, although celebrating its 64th birthday, has never been forgotten.
The event also included memorabilia on display around the hangar of D-Day, a C-130 static display and a video presentation of the history of D-Day.
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