Air Museum Display

Re “A War Anniversary Hard to Celebrate,” by Greg Mitchell, Commentary, Aug. 3: Mitchell should have been there because he’s sure been misled by his historians.

The 20th Air Force Assn. abhors the desecration of a fine air museum with what is to be, primarily, a non-aeronautical display--an A-bomb, sordid, depressing, shocking memorabilia from Hiroshima (which a self-anointed panel of National Air and Space Museum specialists insists we all see so as to “understand ourselves”), a complete Japanese (suicide) plane, but only two parts of Enola Gay (the plane that dropped the bomb over Hiroshima)! What kind of museum is this, in whose country and whose people does it seek to inspire? The proposed display is a national disgrace. Suggesting the Japanese were victims, the Americans racists if not cowards, and alleging that President Truman ordered the bombs dropped without adequate consideration--particularly, when George C. Marshall was a key adviser--is unforgivable. None of it is true. Congress chartered and supports that outfit. Taxpayers should tell Congress what they think of it.

Meanwhile, 20th Air Force veterans stand behind their work!

JAMES L. PATTILLO

Chairman, Enola Gay Committee

20th Air Force Assn., Santa Barbara