2025 8 19 Work Session Packet website

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Dr. Randy Dowling
City Manager, Athens Tennessee

815 N. Jackson Street
Athens, TN. 37303

Dear Dr. Dowling,

My name is Bob Roseberry. | am a resident of our great city and an active member of the

Commemorative Air Force. | currently am assigned to the B 29/24 Squadron based in Dallas
Texas. |am also attached to Airbase Georgia in Peachtree City, Georgia.

| am honored to be able to tour our WWII aircraft all over the United States as we promote
the history of many of the aircraft used in WWII to liberate the world from aggression of the
Nazi Regime and Japanese Imperialism. We are in shorta flying museum.

| amin the process of precuring only one of approximately 6 remaining flight worthy SBD 6
Dauntless Dive Bombers and a T-6 Mosquito Trainer, better know as a Texas T-6, to appear

at the McMinn County Airport in support of the USS Ware reunion scheduled on Friday,

October 10, 2025. The aircraft will arrive at our location at 10 a.m. and will depart at
approximately 3 p.m. the same day. People willbe able to reserve a spot on both aircraft to

experience a 20 minute wheels up wheels down flight experience. It alsois to honor a former
resident of Athens who took part in the battle of Midway in June of 1942, Lt. Charles Ware.

Lt. Ware was assigned to the aircraft carrier Enterprise and led a squadron to attack the
Japanese carrier Akagi which his squadron successfully sank. Upon his return Lt. Ware

encountered a squadron of Zero’s which indicated another Japanese flat top was nearby.

Lt. Ware sent his remaining squadron back to the Enterprise as he and one other SBD 6
began an attack on the Zero’s. After radioing back to his base operation his position and
knowing hewas low on both fuel and ammo, hetook the fightto the Japanese. Unfortunately
Lt. Ware was lostin the attack but due to his historic action an additional3 Japanesecarriers
were sunk during the battle of Midway.

Lt. Ware was awarded Posthumously the Navy Cross and in 1945 the U.S. Navy named a
ship after Lt. Ware. His mother was honored by christening the ship that bore her sons name.

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