Contact: Bob Cromwell, Chief Ranger and Pearson Air Museum Manager, 360-816-6253
Join the National Park Service, representatives from the Russian Consulate in Seattle, and our partners at Pearson Air Museum at 10:00 am on Saturday, June 18, 2016, for a special program celebrating the 79th anniversary of Valery Chkalov's landmark transpolar flight from Moscow, Russia, to Pearson Field, and its significance to our community. "As the National Park Service celebrates its centennial this year, we are pleased to once again celebrate this historic flight. Aviators Chkalov, Baidukov, and Belyakov continue to inspire many people today with their courage, tenacity, and truly remarkable piloting and navigation skills," said Bob Cromwell, Chief Ranger and Pearson Air Museum Manager. The program will include music, brief remarks, and the opening of a new exhibit celebrating the flight titled A RED BOLT FROM THE BLUE. The exhibit was created by historian and writer Mary Rose, designer Rachel Thai, artist Toma Villa, and National Park Service Curators Theresa Langford and Meagan Huff. The exhibit includes artifacts and historic photographs from the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site museum collection, as well as documents recently sent to the park from the archives of Russia's Office of the Foreign Ministry. Curator Theresa Langford said, "Although the Chkalov flight has been featured in the museum for some time, it is such an amazing story - and a notable part of the history of Pearson Field - that we felt it deserved a larger footprint, with a display of additional artifacts and photographs." WHO: National Park Service, Fort Vancouver National Historic Site WHAT: A RED BOLT FROM THE BLUE, exhibit and program celebrating the world's first non-stop transpolar flight. WHEN: Saturday, June 18, 2016, 10:00 am WHERE: Pearson Air Museum, 1115 E. Fifth Street, Vancouver, WA 98661 COST: Free
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Last updated: June 2, 2016