Source: Pratt Tribune, November 12, 1954
Here for Visit with Wife's Parents
Colonel Flew Those B-29s All The Way
An officer who was in charge of training the first crews with the B-29 at the former Pratt Air Force base has returned to this area for a new assignment after putting the last B-29 bomber in storage. He is Lt. Col. A. E. (Gene) Aenchbacher who was in command of the last B-29 to leave the Pacific area and recently honored with a ceremony in Honolulu.
After a visit with Mrs. Aenchbacher's parents, Mr. And Mrs. Albert E. Fincham and with his relatives in Georgia, he will begin training for flight instruction on the B-47.
As the last bomber flew into Honolulu on the return trip from the Far East where the bomb wing has been since the outbreak of the Korean hostilities, it was honored with an appropriate ceremony. In typical Hawaiian fashion it was honored with a lei placed on it. By chance it happened to be one of the ten in command of Lt. Col. Aenchbacher. The governor of the Philippines and many army personnel were present as the Alolah was sung to the bomber.
Proud of B-29
The officer is proud of the part the bomber has played in world affairs. “It's presence in the Pacific war enabled us to get over long distances. It could go farther and carry more bombs and it had a major share in the victory over Japan,” he said.
“I haven't flown the B-47 yet, but I know that against the modern jet fighters the B-29 is an obsolete bomber,” he continued.
He termed the storage of the older planes as a “matter of modernizing units.”
Lt. Col. Aenchbacher is well qualified to make his statement having been with the B-29 since it was first made a part of modern warfare. Since starting with its career at the former Pratt Army Air Field in April, l944, he has served continuously with the bomber. He came to Pratt as a flying instructor as the bombers reached the former field direct from the assembly line at Wichita.
The 307th bomber wing of which Lt. Col. Aenchbacher's squadron was a part, received a presidential unit citation from the United States government and from the Republic of Korea.
He will receive training with his unit at the McConnell Air Force Base at Wichita continuing as a squadron commander in the 307th Bomber wing. After 10-weeks training learning to fly the 600 mph jet bomber he expects to be assigned to Lincoln where a unit is stationed. The new airplanes are being made ready for combat missions.
“Our main job now is to get ready to carry our combat missions anywhere they might want to send us,” he explained.
He has been in the service 13 ½ years. He married the former Linda Beth Fincham in Dec. 1945. His wife and two children Jack, seven and Cathy, five, have been in Pratt since June. They will remain in Pratt while he is in training.
Transcribed by Madeline Martin 01/30/2009