Warbird B-52 Diamond Lil at USAFA needs facelift

Hey hey, I am TJ Ramos and I am raising private fundage to give the legendary warbird on display near the front gate of the Air Force Academy a desperately needed facelift. The blowing winter snows and summer hail storms are punishing the old gal's large surface area. Add to that the infrequency with which she gets corrosion control due to budget cuts over the decades and the result is the awful condition she sits in now.

It is not exactly comparable to battle damage as might be seen on a combat zone flightline.

Rather, Diamond Lil, tail# 083, looks like she might have been sitting out in the desert boneyard!

Vandals and rust also contribute to Diamond Lil's deterioration. An anarchist sticker is melted into the plastic surface of the rusty out-dated podiums under the right wing.

The Air Force Academy inspector general said that $250,000 was allocated for its refurbishment but got cut. That's terrific because Private Funding should always be used for military memorials, thus freeing up those tax dollars to buy more airplanes and munitions. Private fundage also allows those of us who are inspired by our heritage and heroes to pay homage via contributions.

The appearance of the B-52D at USAFA is very important to me (and the community) because it represents the courage, stamina, bravery, highly skilled training, and aerial combat heroism of the crews who flew them. In particular, this warbird is very special. She not only flew Hundreds of missions in support of Arc Light and Linebacker II (the final aerial combat operation of the Vietnam War), but she is also credited with shooting down a MIG-21 fighter!

Please take another moment to memorialize their heroic death-defying mission. On Christmas Eve 1972 tailgunner Albert E. Moore (RIP) shot down an attacking Soviet Russia-made MIG-21 with this airplane (#083) near Hanoi, North Vietnam.

It was a night mission. He was only eighteen years old, but already a combat veteran. Gooogle "Linebacker II" or "The MIG killers" for more riveting details.

So who was this unsung hero, Al Moore?

We were both 19 when I joined his 2nd Bomb Squadron In October, 1973. Al was a humble guy who put people at ease with his jovial conversational style. He always greeted folks with a smile. Rather tall with dark hair and a pencil thIn mustache; ladies might have called him "tall dark and handsome." Al was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in aerial combat like Sam Turner, who got the first MIG kill by a B-52 six nights earlier on day 1 of what came to be known as the 11 day war. He was proud of defending his crew, but did not like hero worshippers asking about his ribbons/medals when in uniform. Al was not a boastful person at all and was always somewhat subdued the few times I heard him telling the story. He would always close with a reminder that there was a man in that MIG.

Stay with me now...

So it is fitting that Al Moore and his B-52D #083 crew be memorialized for their heroic gallantry with the the static display representing American air power at the main entrance to the Air Force Academy. Only trouble is the Red Star that their brothers in arms put on the 083 to commemorate the MIG Victory is gone. It was emphasized during the July, 2007 restoration (see Denver Post and Colorado Springs Gazette articles).

What that red star commonly represents is the very reason Diamond Lil was honored with a permanent memorial in the first place.

The paint shows peeling, hence corrosion. Gooogle Sam Turner's B-52 at Fairchild AFB and see a beautiful Linebacker themed paint job complete with Red Victory Star. With your help we can save tax money for use in training pilots, etc, while private donations should be used for military memorials. (Reference Davey Crockett, "not yours to give" address to Congress) If you can't make any donation Please at least resend the link to your peeps.

So, the Diamond Lil deserves a "Little Red Star" to be put back to give credit where credit is due. Reference the 2007 Denver Post "B-52 facelift" article About the last time she was refurbished.

Even a small donation is a big help. Thanks a heap for your attention.

C'est la vie,

TJ (Guns'73) Ramos