The Castle Air Museum in Atwater, Calif., east of San Jose, welcomed its newest addition, a retired Air Force One airplane that once flew Presidents Reagan and Clinton and other dignitaries over its decades of service. The Douglas VC-9 touched down on Oct. 16 in Atwater to a waiting crowd of nearly 300 people, reported the Merced Sun-Star. “This is a great day, not only for the air museum but also for Merced, Atwater, Merced County, and the state of California,” said Joe Pruzzo, the museum’s chief executive officer. With the airplane in hand, the museum now hopes to raise $10 million for construction of the Presidential Pavilion, a 100,000-square-foot building to house 24 of the museum’s vintage military aircraft, according to the newspaper.
When Airmen eject, the mission is clear: America leaves no warrior behind. Airmen are trained to survive, evade, resist, and escape the enemy, and everyone from ground crew to rescue personnel and commanders are committed to doing everything necessary—and possible—to bring downed Airmen home.