Fort Miles to host annual meeting and ‘Warbirds’ program Jan. 11

Fort Miles Historical Association will conduct its annual meeting at 10 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 11, at the newly renovated Biden Environmental Center in Cape Henlopen State Park. Coffee and refreshments will be served beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Immediately following the meeting, FMHA will continue its winter lecture series with a program titled “Warbirds: Preserving History.” The public is invited to both the meeting and the program.

Delaware Aviation Museum Foundation Executive Director Larry Kelley will inform the audience about how the foundation uses former military combat aircraft, aka warbirds, to keep alive the history of the veterans who flew them. Most notably, the foundation uses the iconic Panchito B-25 aircraft to attract attention to its mission as representatives travel around the country to various aviation events.

These have included numerous reunions of the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders and a Super Bowl flyover to keep alive the history of the B-25 combat air crews. Kelley will emphasize the Doolittle Tokyo Raid and how the B-25 was used as the centerpiece of the Raiders’ Final Toast Ceremony at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. The Raider Reunions also served as a diplomatic tool in remembering the sacrifice of 250,000 Chinese civilians who died because of their assistance to the Raiders after the Tokyo raid.

Seating is limited and reservations are required. To reserve a seat, go to fortmilesmuseum.org.