The Dream

published in the
NAS Whidbey Island
CROSSWIND
November, 2002

Many years ago, as a small child I had a dream. I wanted to become an aviator and fly real planes. Over the years I would build models of all kinds of airplanes to fly. I would imagine that I were actually in these models as they soared aloft. If they crashed, and eventually they all crashed, I would build another one and continue my dream. I was thrilled beyond words the day my Father told me that we were going for an airplane ride. The famous aviator, Clarence Chamberlain, was at the local airport giving rides. We flew that night, under the stars in I believe, a "DeHaviland Tri-motor" aircraft. This was a large Bi-plane with three engines. I will never forget that flight. Not only was it my first flight, it was also my first night-flight. To this day I believe that flying at night is the best time to fly. My next flight was a flight that I won in a call-in contest on the radio. This flight was in a Taylorcraft, a small two place aircraft.

A few years later, on my seventeenth birthday, I joined the United States Navy. It was in the Navy that I finally got my chance to really fly. I became an Aviation Machinist Mate, and a Flight Engineer. Flying in Consolidated PBY5, PBY5A and PBY6A "Catalina" Seaplanes. I flew in PBY's, from 1944 until, I believe sometime in 1953. I also flew in The Douglas R4D, the Douglas R5D and Douglas R6D aircraft. I retired from the Navy on November 22,1967.

In 1948 I obtained my Private Pilots license, flying in a 65 horse-power Taylorcraft. Over the years I obtained a Commercial Pilots license, an Instrument Rating and a Seaplane Rating, Having flown many different makes and model of aircraft. I still consider the PBY My all time favorite.

The continuation of this dream is to bring a"Catalina" back to the NAS Seaplane Base as a Memorial to this fine aircraft, that did so much for this country, and the world during "World War Two".

Adolph P. Meisch ADRC Retired