A sun dial was erected 13 May, 1994, at the Hill Aerospace Museum, Hill Air Force Base, UT. The inscription reads:
"The
5th Air Force Memorial Foundation honors our
men and women who fell in battle and those who
have since gone to join them."
"We have fought a good fight, we have finished the
course, we have kept the faith."
The Aerospace Heritage Foundation of Utah has established a 5th Air Force Memory Grove, for new Unit plaques at the base of this Sundial.
CWO James M. Chastain USAF (Ret.), is a volunteer at the Hill Aerospace Museum, that proposed, designed, procured & arranged for the dedication of the Sun Dial to the 5th Air Force Memorial Foundation. He later arranged for the establishment of the 5th Air Force Memorial Circle and designed the identification plaque which dedicates the Circle to the 5th Air Force personnel who have given their all.
The B-26 in the photo above shows the paint scheme of a 13th Bomb Squadron B-26 during the Korean War.
1946 - 50 Oscar was located nose right side and always faced rear. Checking photos of Korean War era, apparently the same was true. I think during the B-1 era of the 13th, Oscar faced the other direction and was on the nose left side which also made it face rearward.
Joe Stroud - Crew Chief on "Yoke" 43-4364 1949-1950
The Hill AFB B-26 was assembled by Roy Marquardt of the
13th Bomb Squadron from several piles of junk that were once a B-26 converted
to passenger status. Oscar is a completely non-standard depiction, and I don't
know why Roy used it. I think there were several examples that he could
have followed. In the early days Oscar was placed on both sides of the
fuselage - always running toward the front. Oscar was changed frequently
- I have about 30 different examples - some were classy and some were
God-awful. During WW II nose art came on the scene and if it was present
it was usually on the left side of the nose. Oscar was moved around to
the right side of the nose and depicted in a standing position instead of the
running skeleton. I think the airplane was confiscated from a drug runner
but it's history is murky. The airplane was disassembled someplace in
California and sent to Hill in what might appear to be several bundles of junk.
Charles Hinton
Historian-13th BS Association
Special Thanks are in order for Jim Chastain, Charles Hinton, & Joe Stroud .