By Maegan Murray, WSU Tri‑Cities
Wyatt Wineinger, the son of the Day’s Pay B‑17 bomber pilot, will give a presentation on the history of the plane, 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, in the East Auditorium at WSU Tri‑Cities.
Wineinger also will participate in a ceremony to turn over the artifacts from the airplane to the WSU Tri‑Cities Hanford Collection on Saturday, Sept. 29.
The Day’s Pay B‑17 Bomber was purchased during a fundraising drive at Hanford, where workers were asked to “give a day’s pay and send a bomber on its way” to the European theater in World War II. The plane was purchased with these donations and flew in more than 60 missions in Europe.
During his presentation, Wineinger will speak on his father’s entry into World War II, how he became a pilot of the plane and how the Day’s Pay was donated to the U.S. Army Air Corps by Hanford Engineer Works employees. His presentation will follow with a question and answer period. Artifacts and archival material from the airplane will also be on display for the public to view.
The turnover of the artifacts from the airplane to WSU Tri‑Cities for its Hanford History Project collection will begin 1 p.m. Saturday at the Hanford History Project office, 2892 Pauling Ave., in Richland.
Members of the public are invited to attend both events.
“This is a unique opportunity for the public to hear personal stories and accounts from the son of a figure who had a large impact on the workers of Hanford and residents of the Tri‑Cities during World War II,” said Robert Franklin, archivist and oral historian with WSU Tri‑Cities’ Hanford History Project. “We also are excited to receive the artifacts so that we can continue to tell a more complete story of what occurred at Hanford and its impacts on the Tri‑Cities and the United States.”
For more information on the Day’s Pay B‑17 Bomber, visit the History Link website.
