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Machines Make History, People Make Heritage
by U.S. Air Force Airman Donald Knechtel - August 1, 2016

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While some have made their mark on history by inventing machines such as cars or planes, others make their mark through heritage; impacting the culture and environment of an area by dreaming up things like buildings, landscapes, books, or simple works of art.

“Lady Eve,” a painting by Andrew Wieczorek, retired U.S. Air Force Master Sgt., hangs in the 37th Bomb Squadron at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., July 14, 2016. Wieczorek, served as a ground crew member in the 37th BS with the U.S Army Air Corps, and was selected to paint nose art onto a B-26 Marauder known as the Lady Eve. The painting he created over five decades later of the aircraft was gifted to his old squadron and is now an artifact of its heritage. (U.S. Air Force photo by U.S. Air Force Airman Donald Knechtel)
“Lady Eve,” a painting by Andrew Wieczorek, retired U.S. Air Force Master Sgt., hangs in the 37th Bomb Squadron at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., July 14, 2016. Wieczorek, served as a ground crew member in the 37th BS with the U.S Army Air Corps, and was selected to paint nose art onto a B-26 Marauder known as the Lady Eve. The painting he created over five decades later of the aircraft was gifted to his old squadron and is now an artifact of its heritage. (U.S. Air Force photo by U.S. Air Force Airman Donald Knechtel)

Andrew Wieczorek, retired U.S. Air Force Master Sgt (U.S. Air Force courtesy photo)Andrew Wieczorek, retired U.S. Air Force Master Sgt (left) ... is one such artist, creating a painting known as “Lady Eve,” a rendition of a U.S. Army Air Corps B-26 Marauder bomber of the same name. The painting is now an artifact of the 37th Bomb Squadron's heritage, painted by the same man who created the aircraft's nose art 50 years earlier.

“The painting now rests in A-Flight in the 37th BS,” said Lt. Col. Daniel Diehl, 37th Bomb Squadron commander. “A fitting place for it because it highlights our heritage of where we've been for our new guys coming in.”

“I received [the painting] from Mr. Wieczorek's cousin Edmund Gendzielewski,” Sloma said. “Ed and I are members of the same veteran's organization, the Polish Legion of American Veterans in Syracuse, New York.”

Since “Lady Eve's” conception, the painting had been passed on more than once. Wieczorek had originally gifted it to his cousin Chester Gendzielewski, who in turn passed it on to his brother Edmund.

Sloma continued to explain how Gendzielewski had brought the painting into a May 2015 legion meeting asking Sloma to "find a good home" for his cousin's painting.

“Gendzielewski wanted to make sure that the painting wasn't lost and that the information carefully included with the painting was preserved for future Airmen to enjoy,” Sloma said. “After doing some research I was able to find the origins of the aircraft and squadron that was displayed in the painting and got in contact with the historian of the 28th Bomb Wing, the current home of the 37th BS.”

Diehl spoke of the significant emotional investment involved in having the canvas at Ellsworth.

“The painting was originally in New York so it took effort to get it out here,” Diehl explained. “It's nice to think that so many people cared about this individual enough to go through the process to find a home for what he left behind; if you look at it, it's really impressive to have it hanging in the 37th BS.”

After John Moyes, 28th BW historian, was contacted, he began the process necessary to ensure it was given an appropriate home. With the painting now in the squadron, members can see a bit of their heritage and get a sense of its history and where the squadron came from.

“If you don't know where you've been, you don't know where you're going,” Diehl said. “The painting just further highlights our history as a bomb squadron – it highlights a proud heritage. This is a gentleman who five decades after he painted the actual nose art for the actual aircraft still looked back to his time in service with fond memories.”

Author's note: Title attribution to Yancy Mailes, Director, History and Museum Program, Air Force Global Strike Command

By U.S. Air Force Airman Donald Knechtel
Provided through DVIDS
Copyright 2016

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