May 2021 Road Trip to Kansas Part Two of Five Series

The B-29 Memorial Plaza, Great Bend, Kansas

While we were staying in Great Bend, we visited the B-29 Memorial Plaza located at the Great Bend municipal airport. Located at the airport entrance, the Plaza is dedicated to everyone involved in building, flying and providing support for the Boeing B-29 Superfortress.

In July 1943, a Kansas wheat field was being converted into the Great Bend Army Air Field - runways, hangars, barracks, and other facilities were being built. To fly the B-29s, 11-men crews were trained for each plane.

Other nearby B-29 airfields were Smoky Hill, Pratt, and Walker. Great Bend was chosen for the memorial site due to the number of original base structures that still exist and Great Bend agreed to donate the land for the memorial.

Great Bend Army Air Field is significantly historic as it was in the first group United States Army Air Forces B-29 Superfortress bases for training in the summer of 1943. The pictures at the Plaza depicted the great amount of construction that happened to convert Kansas farmland to a B-29 Superfortress airfield. Along with Walker Army Air Field near Victoria, Pratt Army Air Field near Pratt and Smoky Hill Army Air Field near Salina, the initial 58th Bombardment Wing was formed.

The memorial honors bomber crews not only in Great Bend but also the nearby airfields on bronze plaques and bricks. It was an interesting discovery about American military history and the use of Kansas farmland. One of the runways is used as a dragstrip in today's world while the other two runways are still used for municipal air travel.

Walker Airfield acknowledge with plaque.

May 2021 Road Trip to Kansas Part One of Five Series

Kansas Flint Hills Beauty

Because of COVID and life, May 2021 signified two years since last visiting with Mom. We decided in March to plan a trip to Kansas and to see Mom. This series will be divided up into five parts to make it easier for me to tell every nuance of the trip!

We left a day early on May 19 and spent the night in a familiar hotel in Franklin, TN. I was able to give a plaque to the Tennessee PTA president.

The next day we took a different route out west -- I-40 to Jackson, Jackson to Dyersburg. This was the first time I crossed the Mississippi River on I-155 out of Dyersburg. We then cut across country through Poplar Bluff to Springfield, MO. We drove near Corning, AR where the children's great-grandmother had raised her family. We stayed at our pre-trip reservation hotel at Springfield.

The next morning after a short drive from Springfield, we were in Kansas. The beauty of the Flint Hills is just astounding -- tall grass prairie as we drove highway 400 towards Wichita. Then we got onto Interstate 35 and enjoyed being able to go faster than 55 mph! But it was only a short thrill as we had to turn onto highway 56 to head towards Great Bend where we would be staying for a couple of nights.

We stopped at Fort Zarah just a few miles outside of Great Bend along Walnut Creek. Fort Zarah was built to protect commercial traffic along the Sante Fe Trail. It didn't last very long and the abandoned buildings were used by ruffians of every type.

All that remains of the fort is a deep depression into the ground. Picnic tables were built for visitors.

We checked into the Angus Inn at Great Bend, met my sister and mom in a different town. Sister went back home while we enjoyed eating pizza and visiting with Mom at the local Pizza Hut. 

The next day we went out to sister's farm house for a great tasty lunch, went through a bunch of family pictures, and visited with our nephew. It was a great day and a great visit with family and with mom!

I discovered after the fact that two of my high school friends were at the Angus Inn the same time I was there! Such a missed opportunity! Would have loved to visit with Anne and Tracy after so many years from Smith Center!

Parts Three - Five will detail several stops taken on one day, Sunday, May 23rd where we basically drove in a semi-circle for most of the day. A lot of details and hopefully short blog posts for each!
Part Two will detail a brief visit to a memorial while we were staying in Great Bend -- the B-29 Memorial.
All parts written by Dwight Hunter

Puppet 2005-2021

Puppet died April 8, 2021. 

November 16, 2005 - April 8, 2021

I was working from home when I noticed that Puppet was struggling walking and keeping his head straight. I knew that he was close to the end. We all knew he was close to the end for a while. He was blind, and for many months, he felt his way down the hallway. 

Puppet was a Christmas gift to my wife from Nanny and daughter and was born on the same day as my wife. The kids and family basically grew up with him from middle school through graduate school. On April 8, when we took him to his vet, we knew it was it. He didn't respond to me holding him, his breathing was ragged, his mouth remained partially opened. The vet knew immediately there was nothing that could be done - a blood clot had paralyzed him. He quickly passed away before the second shot was even fully administered. 

When COVID-19 sent me home to work in March 2020, Puppet quickly became my office mate sleeping next to my computer chair and listening to my Apple Music playlists on Alexa. But things changed in November as his blindness left him to sleep and mostly stay in one place, by the front door.

Here are my Facebook posts:

April 9

So many Puppet memories over the 15 years, but one that comes to mind today, was seeing the sheer joy on his face as he ran down the hallway when I said “back door.” He knew that meant backyard time! (goodbye Puppet ❤️)

April 24

A big thank you to our local animal clinic who sent a card signed by staff and doctors sending their condolences for Puppet. How cool is that! Some of the staff knew puppet for years. I do miss having him when I am home working—my office mate. 🐾❤️

There must be a lot of dust in the office because it is getting difficult for me to write. Goodbye Puppet - wow do I miss you! 

Wife's work sent message balloons with condolences -- so sweet!

Puppet came home to rest a few weeks after his death. I wanted him in a beautiful, wood box. 

Bye Puppet - we love you!