A north Idaho veteran’s museum is planning to move to a new home, and looking for folks to help make the move possible.
The Pappy Boyington Veterans Museum is located in Hayden near the Coeur d’Alene Airport that bears the aviator’s name.
Boyington’s name is known is history circles, but if it’s unfamiliar, here’s a synopsis of the pilot who served in World War II:
“Pappy Boyington was born in Coeur d Alene, he was a Medal of Honor/Navy Cross recipient, and the leader of the black sheep squadron during WW2, he was the only Navy pilot who had a TV series, the Bah Nah Black Sheep series of the 1970’s starring Robert Conrad.” That’s Richard Le Francis, who runs the museum. Francis says the facility has display featuring a number of our regions aviators.
But the museum is at a turning point. Le Francis has leased the building from the Fraternal Order of the Eagles, and the lease expires at the end of December.
Now, Le Francis says they have plans to construct a new museum closer to the airport, and are hoping to get some local sponsors for the project. “It’s a doable deal. There are many museums that were affiliated with that have done just like this. Where people have wanted to associate their names with the museum to protect the heritage and cultural military history of the area.”
You can find out more information online at www.pappyboyingtonveteransmuseum.org
