Support - Historic Wendover Airfield

Save Where They Walked

We need your help in saving the Historic Wendover Airfield. Your financial and volunteer support will help us keep the history alive.

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“Wendover Airfield is a site that played a critical role in the atomic missions that ended World War II – I wholeheartedly support the efforts for the base restoration and a museum on this site so that future generations will not forget the sacrifice, the dedication of the men and women and the necessity for the decisions of the time. Time and apathy must not be allowed to let this historic area degrade until nothing is left of our training field.”

— General Paul Tibbets Jr. (1915-2007),
Pilot of the Enola Gay B-29 Superfortress

Ways to Give

Your support allows us to preserve the Historic Wendover Airfield in honor of the bravery and sacrifices of our WWII veterans and families to ensure the stories of this critical WWII site are shared with future generations. All donations, no matter the size (even $5), will help to share the unique and powerful stories of Wendover’s role in WWII. Donations are 100% tax-deductible.

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For a donation of $100, you can honor your hero, family, organization, or business with a memorial brick to be installed at the entrance of the John T Brinkman Service Club. As the primary entrance of the Historic Wendover Airfield and home to the current museum, the John T. Brinkman Service Club sees thousands of visitors each year. Your customized Memorial Brick will contain up to three lines of personalized text and will last for generations to come.

Please contact our team to inquire about purchasing a Memorial Brick.

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We are currently offering building naming rights to donors who provide the funding necessary to complete the restoration of specific buildings. By supporting the restoration of a building, you are preserving a slice of WWII history as well as honoring the legacy of your family or business. Building naming rights start at $60K are available on small and large structures throughout the airfield.

Please contact our team to inquire about Building Naming Rights opportunities.

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We are currently developing several new exhibits throughout the airfield that are in need of Sponsorship. Your sponsorship of an exhibit not only helps to ensure that the exhibit is developed, but provides the funding necessary to properly display, document, maintain, and archive the exhibit. The cost of sponsorship varies by exhibit. We offer one-time, annual, and sustaining exhibit sponsorships. Your family or business name will be displayed alongside the exhibit signage for the duration of your sponsorship.

Please contact our team to inquire about Exhibit Sponsorship opportunities.

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You, your family, or your business have the opportunity to adopt an aircraft or vehicle. We are currently seeking the adoption of several aircraft and military vehicles including:

Douglas C-54E Skymaster
North American F-86L Sabre
Fairchild C-123K Provider
1942 GMC 6×6 Troop Transport
1942 Ford GPW Jeep
1943 Ford/ALF Fire Engine
1949 Plymouth MP Car
Ford Burma Bomb Truck
ALF 700 Series Fire Engine

In addition to adopting an aircraft or vehicle, you can donate an aircraft or vehicle to help us expand our collection. Your family or business name will be displayed alongside the vehicle or aircraft in a manner that is appropriate to the specific aircraft/vehicle.

Please contact our team to inquire about opportunities to adopt an aircraft or vehicle.

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We Need You

Our team has been committed to restoring and preserving the Historic Wendover Airfield for more than 20 years. Through this time, we have saved and restored several key buildings throughout the airfield including a full restoration of the John T. Brinkman Service Club and an exterior restoration on the B-29 “Enola Gay” Hangar. We have many more projects underway and in our restoration plans, but need further financial support to make this a reality.

Despite playing a critical role in WWII and the atomic mission, Wendover’s significance has largely been overlooked. In addition to saving several key structures, we have worked to share the airfield’s story with the world. While we are proud of the progress we have made to date, we know now is the time to accelerate our efforts and anchor the Historic Wendover Airfield as a recognized and indelible piece of our nation’s history. We need you to help make this vision a reality.

Capital Campaign

Help us achieve our vision of further preserving and restoring the Historic Wendover Airfield through the largest capital campaign in our organization’s history. We are currently running the Save Where They Walked Capital Campaign to raise $20,000,000 which will fund the protection and comprehensive restoration of our airfield and its unmatched history.

The Historic Wendover Airfield’s restoration to date has been made possible by museum admissions, grants, and donations. We are very grateful for all of the individuals, organizations, businesses, and foundations that have helped us accomplish our goals so far.

The Save Where They Walked Capital Campaign is a critical next step in sharing Historic Wendover Airfield and its stories with the world. This capital campaign represents a more comprehensive restoration of the airfield including restoring many of our key buildings, enhancing site conditions, acquiring additional aircraft, increasing our staff capacity, and developing new exhibits throughout the airfield.

The Save Where They Walked Capital Campaign is divided into 4 key phases of $5,000,000 each for a total campaign goal of $20,000,000.

Phase Map Legend

Phase One

Phase Two

Phase Three

Phase Four

Complete

Phase One – $5,000,000

Visitor shuttle system and bus

B-29 Hangar south side and initial restoration

B-29 Hangar parking lot & site developments. Including walkways and site improvements from hangar to barracks area and Norden bombsight building

Purchase aircraft – PT-17 Stearman and a Piper Cub L-4

Purchase Military Vehicles – Cletrac, C-2 Wrecker

Barracks area restoration including a new guard shack

B-29 Hangar exhibits

Nurse’s quarters restoration

Airman’s dining hall restoration

Museum site design/consulting

Museum Staff salaries and expenses

Phase Two – $5,000,000

B-29 Hangar remaining improvements

Latrine & remaining barracks stabilization and/or restoration

Celestial Navigation building re-creation and programming

Barracks restoration

Additional aircraft

Additional Exhibits in EG Hangar, hospital buildings, dining hall, barracks

Motor Pool Building

Documentary film

Site preparation and memorial exhibit

Museum staff salaries and expenses

Phase Three – $5,000,000

Link Trainer building restoration

Additional exhibits and displays development

Hospital Power Plant restoration

Leadership reaction & obstacle course development

Swimming pool area restoration

Additional aircraft acquisition

South Base Technical Area restoration

Museum Staff salaries and expenses

New tour bus/shuttle vehicles

Site improvements & maintenance

Phase Four – $5,000,000

Site improvement, walkways & gathering areas

Paint the water tower

Additional WWII vehicles & equipment

New programs for the celestial navigation building/planetarium

Hospital buildings restoration

Ball turret and top turret working exhibits

Re-creation of motor pool buildings

Restoration of commissary buildings

Property acquisition of two story barracks

Museum staff salaries and expenses

Our Organization

Lisa Dunn

Ms. Dunn has an Aeronautical Science Degree from Embry Riddle University. She has a multi engine instrument rating, commercial pilot’s license and an aircraft dispatcher’s license. She was President/CEO of Xtra Airways for 15 years and is currently the Wendover Airport Director for Tooele County, Utah. She has been a board member since 2019.

James S. Petersen

Mr. Petersen has a degree in Electrical Engineering and a degree in Computer Science from the University of Utah. He has worked designing computers for the Air Force and as a manager for two automation companies. He founded a controls automation company and after that sold, worked as the Wendover Airport Director. He founded the Historic Wendover Airfield Foundation in 2001 and is currently the Chairman and President.

J. Shane Cloward

Mr. Cloward has a degree in Business Administration from the University of Utah. He worked for 16 years in the financial industry as a licensed brokerage agent and is currently the Workforce Administrator for a national reference laboratory in Salt Lake City, Utah. He has been a volunteer since 2001, a board member and is the corporate Secretary of the foundation.

Thomas S. Petersen

Mr. Petersen has a degree in History from the University of Utah and is a Certified Public Manager. He has worked as a technical services supervisor for a medical laser company and a field installation coordinator for an internet company. He is currently a Senior Project Manager for the State of Utah. He has worked with the foundation since 2001 and is the Vice President and Treasurer.

Landon Wilkey

Mr. Wilkey has a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in History from Utah State University. He has interned at the Brigham City Museum of Art & History and in the Merrill-Cazier Library’s Special Collections and Archives. He also volunteered, interned, and served on staff at the Hill Aerospace Museum. He joined Historic Wendover Airfield in 2019 as the museum curator and is an advisor to the Board of Directors.

Sign Up for the Salt Tablet

What is the “Salt Tablet,” you say? It is the official newsletter of the Historic Wendover Airfield. It’s circulation started in the 1930’s and we have revived it since the early 2000’s.