Wings Remembered

Wings Remembered is dedicated to preserving the history of airmen and their aircraft.

Our museum is filled with groupings of items from airmen that include their uniforms, flight jackets, medals, photos, and documents that together tell the story of each individual. We display artifacts that have been recovered from crash sites of our aircraft that were lost over foreign soil and while training here in the US.

A lot of research goes into the artifacts recovered from crash sites. In this process we identify the actual aircraft, its mission, and the individual or crew members that were on board. We also go to great lengths to locate any possible survivors and their families. In some cases we have had the honor of families coming to see artifacts from the aircraft of their loved ones.

You will also find on display a working Norden Bombsight, a B-24 waist window display and so much more.

Bob Lehnhausen B-24 Pilot 44th BG

Bob Lehnhausen was born on 11 September 1919 to Frank and Florence Lehnhausen of Peoria, IL. In May of 1941, he entered the Army Air Forces Cadet Program. After the successful completion of his pilot training, Bob joined the 44th Bomb Group, 68th Bomb Squadron of the 8th Air Force.

Wings Remembered Article from Aviation History Magazine

Charles Runion's Tennessee aviation museum is filled with what most folks would consider junk, but he's no hoarder. Wings Remembered is an unparalleled collection of mainly U.S. World War II artifacts recovered from crash sites and through donations of flight gear, uniforms, letters, diaries, medals and photos from the families of long-gone veterans. Cockpit sections, engine parts, a Norden bombsight and bombardier's compartment, rusty landing gear, crumpled wing and fuselage skins with insignias still visible… Runion has everything from a 12-foot-tall B-24 vertical stabilizer to an R-2800 valve rocker arm from a P-47 shot down during the Battle of the Bulge.

391st Bomb Group B-26 43-34337 named Homesick Pappy

This B-26 was shot down on 24 February 1945 with the loss of the entire crew. They were Gwen T McPherson (pilot), Dan W Chaney (copilot,) Earl R LaPan (bombardier / navigator,) Wilbur N Beasley (gunner,) Edward Klacik Flight (engineer / gunner,) and John H Boettcher (gunner.) This mission was number 237 for the bomb group and the primary target was a railroad bridge in Irlich, Germany.

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Bob Lehnhausen B-24 Pilot 44th BG

Wings Remembered Article from Aviation History Magazine

391st Bomb Group B-26 43-34337 named Homesick Pappy

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