Pienma July 2008
Hi all,
I was very fortunate to be able to take a break from the work at the museum and go to Pienma.
I wanted to fulfill one of Fletcher’s last requests: take a wooden model plane of CNAC #53 to the Pienma Museum.
Mike Little made the wooden model of CNAC #53 and sent it to me. He took great care in making it as real as possible.
I started my trip from Baoshan with Petty (my loyal translator) and Mr. Yung (a friend with a car from Shaxi village near Dali).
Mr. Pu and Mr. A came to greet me at the border of
As we arrived, Mrs. Mi, top official of the Luishui Government, greeted me. We had dinner and discussed plans for the next day. After dinner we walked around town and had local coffee and tea in a café by the river. Very nice.
I need to say at this point that my intent of the trip was to give Mike’s airplane to the museum. However, much of the gratefulness expressed by all was with my involvement in helping Fletcher and others see that the plane in Pienma was the real CNAC plane #53 and not a fake.
Furthermore, since I was often in the middle of a ceremony I was unable to take pictures. I hope to get some from others soon.
I had my own car but they provided me with a 4x4. That was great because the rains had severely damaged the road to Pienma. Without their help, I would have not been able to get to Pienma.
In Pienma we had some delicious mangos and a great local meal. We walked to the museum and were greeted by 20 clapping people.
I walked to the spot where Fletcher and I planted the two trees last year. I was visibly emotional when I saw the new green buds on Fletcher’s tree.
Inside the museum they had new pictures displayed of Fetcher and me taken last year. There was a red carpet, a microphone, and on a table, was a large picture of Fletcher with black ribbons with flowers around him.
Mrs. Mi and I were given flowers which we placed on each side of the picture. I did not know that I would miss Fletcher so much. It was a very special moment for me.
Mrs. Mi gave a very moving speech, and so did the local mayor of Pienma (sorry I do not have his name now). I spoke after that. Thank God for Petty’s translation of my English (she adds and removes things to make me sound better).
During my speech, the model plane was taken out of the box and given to me. I made an official presentation of the airplane in the name of the Hump Memorial Flight, CNAC Association and those around Fletcher that cared for him.
I also realized and said that in a way I had become a
Goodwill Ambassador from the
After the donation I was given a full tour of CNAC #53. Many of you may remember that during the exchanges of emails regarding the plane’s authenticity, I requested that a group of experts check the airplane closely.
I was invited to go inside the airplane!!!!! I weigh over 200 pounds. I felt like Earthquake McGoon shaking the airplane as I moved around it. It was smaller than I thought. I realized how amazing it was that my father and the CNAC guys had so little precious space to take cargo back and forth over the Hump. I can not imagine the decision process it took to decide on what had to be carried in those planes at certain critical moments in time during the war.
Mr. Pu and Mr. A patiently explained to me all aspects of the reconstruction process done on the plane.
I was promised all existing pictures and videos taken since the plane was found in the mountains up to the full reconstruction of the plane.
I was interviewed by a local TV station. Later, I was told that the presentation of CNAC's model C-53 airplane #53 donated by Mike Little was aired by Nujiang TV and that it was very moving. I hope to get a copy soon.
I promised I would make a website about CNAC #53, and help the local people of Pienma as best as I can.
We returned to Mr. A’s home for dinner. It is the same place where Fletcher had his birthday party last year. There was a very large picture in a beautiful frame of Fletcher and me blowing his birthday candles out. With great merriment, we set a plate and a large glass of wine for Fletcher. Many times during dinner we toasted him and tossed his drink, then raised our glasses again in his memory. A good time was had by all!!!
When I returned to the hotel I invited Mary, Petty,
Mr. Yung, the driver and others for Karaoke (one of the most preferred
forms of entertainment in
The next morning we left. Mr. Pu and Mr. A accompanied us all the way to the border of Nujiang.
