Planes of Fame's Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless 28536 (NX670AM) was the star performer at the museum's Living History Flying Day at Chino, California on February 1. The guest speaker for the event was former US Marine Corps (USMC) Dauntless gunner Staff Sergeant Sidney H Zimman. During 1944, Sidney flew 40 combat missions with VMSB-341 from Munda in the South Pacific, many of which were against the heavily defended Japanese stronghold at Rabaul in Papua New Guinea (PNG). For his combat service in July and August 1944, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and five Air Medals. When he enlisted in the USMC, Sidney opted for radio operator's school. At the end of that training, two sign-up sheets were posted, one headed with A' and the other with 'G'. Not knowing what the letters meant, Sidney simply wrote his name on the 'A' list. It turned out that this stood for Air' while the 'G' stood for 'Ground'.
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