The last time you drove by Enid’s Woodring Airport, did you know that you were passing an 80-year-old airplane that flew combat missions in World War II Germany—and even more astonishingly, one that still flies? Woodring is home to what Gary Stein calls “one of the best kept secrets in Northwest Oklahoma,” the Lady Liberty, an A-26 Invader aircraft whose meandering decades-long journey eventually brought her to Enid. Stein is a key member of the dedicated squadron of volunteers who maintains the Lady Liberty under the aegis of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF), a national organization devoted to showcasing United States military aviation history.
The Lady Liberty’s journey began long ago on the sandy shores of Long Beach, California, where she came off the line at the Douglas Aircraft Plant on August 23, 1944. Assembled in record time by the thousands of Rosie the Riveters who worked at the Long Beach plant, the Lady Liberty was the 130th A-26 produced. Even as the plane was being patiently assembled, rivet by rivet, she was hidden in plain sight, since the Douglas plant was itself heavily disguised. Due to West Coast security concerns, the “campus” was adorned with fake plywood houses and trees to help create the illusion of being an ordinary suburban neighborhood, while some areas featured camouflage netting and sandbags helped to create bomb shelters in other areas of the campus. Of all the A-26 Invader aircrafts produced during World War II, the Lady Liberty is the oldest known plane that still flies.
Her ultimate destination was Europe, but she made several stateside hops along the way, including Amarillo (Texas), Hunter Field (Georgia), and Wilmington (Delaware). The domestic transportation of Lady Liberty and other aircraft was performed by the Army Air Corps Ferrying Command. In a unique program that ran from 1942 to 1944, much of the work of stateside ferrying was performed by Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs). Like the Rosies who worked in factories, the home front work of WASP pilots helped free up men for combat roles. Although the WASP program ended in December of 1944, it is almost certain that when Lady Liberty rolled off the production line in August, she would have been flown by a series of WASPs.
Lady Liberty’s final American stop was Grenier Airfield in Manchester, New Hampshire, which served as a major staging area for European-bound aircrafts. On September 10, 1944, she departed Grenier for RAF Great Dunmow, an air base in England. She was assigned to the 9th Air Force, 410th Bomber Group and began combat operations in early 1945. The 410th was assigned four A-26’s, which were painted completely black and initially used to conduct night missions ranging all over Germany. As Wes “Jammer” Smith, the squadron’s Chief Pilot, says, “In contrast to a lot of war birds that you see these days, this is an airplane that was actually in World War II. This is the real deal.”
When you enter the Lady’s hangar at Woodring, the plane stands proudly, her nose art gleaming in the dim overhead lights. Large but not overwhelming, she is meticulously maintained and stands as a silent testament to the sacrifices made by those who lived aviation history during the 1940s. However, Father Time comes for all, and the veterans of World War II are no exception: their numbers diminish daily. The men and women who served in WWII are well into their 90’s, and according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, just “66,143 of the 16.4 million Americans who served in World War II are alive as of 2024.” But while their numbers may dwindle, their legacy does not. Smith remembers that legacy every time he flies the Lady Liberty, saying “I consider that some young man sat in that same seat and flew combat against an unknown enemy.”
Keeping that history alive is what motivates the Lady Liberty squadron. As Gary Trice, Air Force veteran of the Korean War and squadron lead mechanic said, “I just don’t want the public to forget the greatest generation that operated this equipment before we came along.” Some members of the group are retired Air Force pilots, while others are retired from industry. And some of them haven’t retired at all. What brings them together is a shared commitment to honoring the legacy of service that the Lady Liberty represents. The group works tirelessly to “keep it flying, even though it takes a lot of hours, sometimes a lot of sweat, and sometimes even a little bit of blood from when the Invader bites,” said Stein, who serves as the squadron’s Director of Training.
Whenever possible, they share the Lady Liberty with both Enid and the wider community. Just this summer, she flew to both El Reno Airshow in El Reno, Oklahoma, and the Frontiers in Flight show at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, Kansas. Attending air shows is a great way to share the plane’s heritage with the public, which is often very curious about how the plane even got there. Crew Chief Scott Richardson says, “Because it’s an old airplane…a common question that we will get is, how did you all get this airplane here? When we tell them we flew it here, they look at us like we’ve got two heads.”
The Lady Liberty is the most high-flying demonstration of Enid’s commitment to veterans and the military community, but it is not the only one. Across the street from the Lady Liberty’s hangar is the Woodring Wall of Honor and Veterans Park. The park originally opened in 2000, growing over time, and in 2013, the Vietnam Memorial Wall was installed. The wall itself is an 80% scale replica of the original wall in Washington, D.C, and according to their website, over 990 Oklahoma names are on the wall. At a cost of approximately $1 million, Executive Director Elaine Johns said, “It was a huge undertaking…but the community pulled together.”
The Enid community has continued to support the organization. In 2017, they were able to open the M.L. Becker Education Center, which is located across the street from Veterans Park. The Center houses an art gallery, library, and museum. The Center offers tours, educational events for schoolchildren, and more. Even more special is the “branch” location at Oakwood Mall, which houses the numerous artifacts and donations for which the Center lacks space. Housed in the former Sears, the Oklahoma Military History Exhibit is another of Enid’s hidden gems. The doors opened in November of 2023, and according to Steve Niswander, who helps operate the site, “We’ve had people from England, Yugoslavia, Mexico, Canada…all over the place.”
Coming in at about 40,000 square feet, the exhibit offers a multifaceted look at United States military history, with a focus on the 20th century to the present day. There is a wide variety of artifacts: uniforms, maps and photographs, weapons, and vehicles. Incredibly, entire planes are also featured, including a McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, a Lockheed T-33 trainer, and a Cessna O-1 Bird Dog. They have a T-33 simulator, and there is even a miniature Jeep that children can drive. There are videos, too, and sometimes they can elicit the strongest reactions. “This place is very emotional,” said Niswander, who recalled that they were once approached by a woman who requested help for her mother. The older woman “sat on the floor, sobbing,” and when the staff asked what was wrong, she said, “My dad died at Pearl Harbor.” Video footage of Pearl Harbor was running on a TV, and it had shaken her.
Then there is the tiger cage, which sits near the entrance of the exhibit. As a relic of the Vietnam conflict, the tiger cage is a powerful object. Niswander explained, “This guy leaned on that tiger cage and just went to sobbing. His fraternity brother at OU flew F-16’s and was shot down and captured. Spent five years in one of those cages.”
One thing that both Niswander and Johns want the Enid community to know is that they are not just here to commemorate the service of veterans. They are also here to here to help veterans in direct, tangible ways. Johnson said, “We have worked with the Disabled Americans Veterans here in Enid” to assist local veterans with that process. In addition, they have arranged for a VA representative to come to the Oakwood Mall exhibit. His name is James Conner, and he is “a retired chaplain from the Army,” according to Johns.
On the first and third Thursdays of every month, Conner comes up, and his sole mission is to help veterans. “He cranks it up. He knows his stuff,” said Niswander, explaining that Conner sets up his computer and helps veterans navigate the often-bewildering disability process. Niswander emphasized that any veteran in the community is welcome to come and speak with Conner. There is no charge or fee of any kind, and in fact, the exhibit itself is free as well, although donations are gladly accepted.
That brings us to Vance Air Force Base, which can hardly be said to be hidden in plain sight. The Enid community sees the airplanes flying overhead every week; the T-6 and T-38 trainer aircraft are a regular feature of our skies (and for at least a bit longer, the T-1 trainers). Vance currently produces over 300 pilots per year, and while they are here, pilots, students, and their families are valued members of the Enid community. This is probably not news to anyone reading this.
What might be less well known are some of the exceptional contributions that Vance has made throughout history. For instance, according to Vance historian Dr. Daniel “Wombat” LeClair, Vance produced over 9,000 pilots from 1941 to 1945. “It was extraordinary,” said Doc Wombat. “Their largest war class…had 374 people enrolled in it. That’s a year’s worth of production for us right now. They would go through, figure out how not to kill themselves in the air, and then go to advanced pilot training somewhere else.”
Vance has also borne its share of losses. Although we are used to seeing the little planes circling overhead, it is never a task without risk. According to Doc, “We have lost 131 people to flying training accidents over the years.” Vance has had two pilots awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest award for military valor: 2 Lt. Lloyd Hughes (posthumously) and Capt. Merlyn Dethlefsen. In addition, two Vance alumni were among those who perished in the 2003 explosion of the space shuttle Columbia: shuttle commander Air Force Col. Rick Husband and payload commander Lt. Col. Michael P. Anderson.
Enid is home to just over 3,000 veterans, many of whom passed through Vance at some point. It is little wonder that so many have chosen to stay here, since the community has historically been extremely supportive of the military community. In fact, in 1995, when Vance was on the short list for Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC), “over 12,000 area residents gathered [in Enid] to show their support for Vance,” wrote Dr. LeClair. When the BRAC commission met a week later in Fort Worth, Texas, “over 1,200 Enid citizens gathered outside the BRAC commission meeting to show their support again.” Ultimately, the commission decided to close Reese AFB in Lubbock, Texas.
Vance proudly continues its mission of training and graduating the pilots of tomorrow. And today, those who keep the Lady Liberty flying and those who operate the Woodring Wall of Honor, Veterans Park, and Oklahoma Military History Exhibit actively encourage everyone in the Enid community to come out and visit these unique pieces of history. Year-round, Enid folks can visit the wall, park, and of course, the museum exhibit. The exhibit is open Thursday through Saturday, 11:00 – 4:00, it is free of charge, and as Niswander said, “The history of the military is here. All you have to do is walk through that door and see it.”
The Lady Liberty warmly welcomes members of the public to come and see the historic plane. With advance notice or at any of Woodring Airport’s summer fly-ins, which generally occur once per month, you can come see the Lady Liberty up close. It is a great way to chat with members of the squadron and see a bit of living history. In addition, the squadron is always looking for new members. According to Richardson, “They don’t have to really know anything about an airplane…everybody has skills they can bring to a unit like ours.”
Both organizations are on social media, so be sure and check out their respective Facebook pages for the latest updates on events. In honor of Veterans Day, the community is invited to “Celebrate Freedom: A Weeklong Tribute to Honor Our Veterans.” Taking place November 2nd through the 11th, the weeklong celebration features daily events at locations throughout the city. “Celebrate Freedom” is presented by Woodring Wall of Honor and Veterans Park in partnership with the City of Enid. Enid area veterans, past and present, cherish the many ways that the community shows its support. Please know that however you observe Veterans Day, your support is sincerely appreciated.
