Task force begins a renewed effort to establish a naval air museum site in Lemoore

LEMOORE -- He came to learn the walk, the talk, the look, the lifestyle and the behavior of a naval pilot as he walked through Lemoore Naval Air Station.

Actor Owen Wilson studied at the base for his character in a 2001 movie. "(He) came here in a flight suit," said Dennis McGrath, public affairs officer at NAS Lemoore. "He was preparing for his role in the movie 'Behind Enemy Lines.'" The bankable movie star from Texas did a tremendous amount of research for his role as a Navy pilot who falls behind enemy lines, but even with all that research he still needed the authenticity that only LNAS could offer.

"His hair was short by Hollywood standards, not Navy standards," McGrath said. "He was here to learn that among other things he needed to learn about being a Navy pilot."

Lemoore Naval Air Station is the only jet air station on the West Coast, so there was no other place for Wilson to learn or study what he needed in order to be play the role of Lt. Chris Burnett.

The history of LNAS is the reason that the Lemoore Task Force is hosting a kickoff celebration on March 29 for a proposed Naval Air Museum site in Lemoore. This marks the start of a monumental effort to honor and preserve the history of the base and its role in U.S. military operations.

"I think the idea of a Naval air museum is tremendous for the city of Lemoore," said Ed Martin, a Lemoore city councilman. "After all, Lemoore Naval Air Station is one of the largest in the world and we need to make more people aware of the history and traditions of the Navy. I think a Naval air museum will do that."

Lynda Lahodny, one of the museum's board members and CEO of the Lemoore Chamber of Commerce, agreed.

"I see this as a huge potential benefit for our community," she said. "But the bottom line is to honor those people that serve."

Once the idea for the museum had been broached, the next step was to assemble a small task force that visited numerous military museums throughout the state. Members then gathered a group of like-minded community leaders to focus on the development of a plan.

Even with all the history that the base offers, the proposed air museum is not a new endeavor.

In the early 1990s, a group of Vietnam-era aviators had a dream of preserving the history of LNAS involvement in the nation's defense as well as honoring POWs and MIAs who had a direct connection to Lemoore.

But the lack of a location caused the effort to fizzle out and be put on hold.

"We were not heavy into money-making yet," said McGrath, who served on the first committee. "We couldn't find a place to put it so basically the idea died."

This time, the committee learned from its prior attempt. The Lemoore City Council has supported the concept of allowing the museum to utilize approximately 75,000 square feet of space of what was formerly part of Candlewick Yarn Manufacturing Company in the Cinnamon Municipal Complex. The support is pending their approval of a business plan, a successful fundraising campaign and confirmation of the ability to acquire aircraft and relevant memorabilia.

The museum foundation's nonprofit tax status has been reinstated, preliminary architectural design work and a business plan have been presented to the city council, and fundraising is now ready to begin.

The Naval Air Museum will offer flight simulators, interactive displays and a full range of educational opportunities for students from elementary through college level, and also serve as a venue for regional competitions for groups such as NJROTC and the Sea Cadets.

The east portion of the Cinnamon Municipal Complex, 711 Cinnamon Drive, will be transformed into the likeness of a Naval aircraft carrier and will accommodate a multitude of uses. The open center area will replicate the flight deck and will house every piece of aircraft flown at LNAS.

A large area with murals will be available for rental as a conference/banquet facility accommodating up to 1,000 guests for all types of military, corporate community and civilian events.

The side rooms, replicating a ready room, galley, sleeping berths, radar room, map room and captain's quarters will be utilized as classrooms, meeting rooms, shop areas, catering kitchen, research library and an air rifle range.

A Gala Grand Opening of Phase 1 for the museum is scheduled for Nov. 9, 2009.

Lemoore High School NJROTC plans to have a close working relationship with the museum.

"I think it will be pretty cool," said John Areias, 17, "because we have the Lemoore Naval base here and people see the jets in the sky and they hear them all the time."

Capt. Harry Zinser, formerly a Navy helicopter pilot and senior instructor for NJROTC, knows from prior experience the importance of LNAS.

"There is a lot of history here," he said. "Half the pilots that fly anyplace in the Navy are trained here in Lemoore."

Zinser, who is also leading and directing the educational aspects to the proposped museum, sees this as a much-needed place for the Central Valley because NJROTC at Lemoore and other high schools in the area would benefit.

Currently, Zinser has to share the exercise room in the boys gym at Lemoore High School, which is only available two days a week for drill team practices for the four competitions that NJROTC has every year.

"This is much needed for this area," Zinser said. "We sometimes have to travel to Los Angeles, because there is nothing around here that provides adequate facilities for us to use."

The reporter can be reached at 583-2423.

(March 17, 2008)