The Dragon Lady and the U-2 spy planes

We are a family of readers, and I was getting low on material after finishing the last Lee Child novel, so I picked up a few books from my brother-in-law’s collection to read. I’ve often said that the back of cereal boxes will work if there is nothing else but luckily there was a selection of books to chose from. As I was sorting, I picked up a WWII illustrated book for my grandson who is fascinated with all things about that war. Then I grabbed one titled “Remembering The Dragon Lady” and my nephew stated that he thought the author was from McCook.

Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Gerald E. McIlmoyle was most definitely from McCook, and he co-authored the book with Linda Rios Bromley in 2008. The dragon lady was actually the U-2 Spy Plane, named so because it could not carry the B for bomber nor the F for fighter, so it became a utility (U-2) plane in what was initially a super secret mission. During its development by Lockheed only 81 people, 25 of which were engineers, worked on the approved design. According to the book, the project was so secret that the first check the government cut for Lockheed’s work was actually made out to the project director, Clarence “Kelly” Johnson and mailed to his house. Pratt and Whitney made the engine capable of performing at an altitude of 70,000 feet and higher. Hycon developed a camera that produced the highest quality of photographs. All of this due to the fact that President Eisenhower wanted a spy plane that was hard to detect and could not be shot down.

That, of course, proved inaccurate in 1960 but that story is someone else’s history. To his credit, Dick Trail covered Gerald “Jerry” McIlmoyle’s history at his passing this year. I don’t know if Jerry’s book is available to read in McCook, but when I finish, this copy’s new home will be the SWNGS library. The book is not an autobiography, but a compilation of stories about the men who worked on or flew the U-2 and includes several cameos of their spouses lives also. If you are interested in the Cold War, this is a book for you.

It seems strange to me that the scrapbook I kept on Vietnam for Mrs. Reese’s journalism class is 53 years old or that both my sons serving in Iraq was 20 years ago. Can it be true that my 11-year-old grandson is fascinated by the military trappings of a war that all of my uncles and my father served in 80 years ago? Or that the Korean War started 71 years ago? Somehow Veteran’s Day slipped by me this year. I guarantee it didn’t slip by anyone who has served in the military, it should have not gotten by me.

To remind everyone, SWNGS is starting a new program of researching family requests. We would hope that you would join us to do that, but if you can’t, please send as much information as you have to SWNGS, PO Box 156, email me at sdoak@swnebr.net or bring your family sheets to 322 Norris Ave., Rooms 2-7 in the Temple Building on either Tuesday or Thursday from 1-4PM.