I can now say, proudly, I have flown in a World War II bomber.
As part of the Wings of Freedom Tour on Monday, members of the media got to fly with a pair of WWII veterans in a Consolidated B-24J Liberator.
As we waited on the runway to board, I was more excited than nervous - until one 88-year-old veteran took my hand and said he was ready for one more crash. I told him I wasn't ready for my first one.
Entering the bomber itself wasn't exactly easy, especially in high-heeled shoes, a decision I regret in retrospect. Entering in the belly of the aircraft, you have to duck below the side panels and climb through the bomb bay.
To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.