Fagen Fighters WWII Museum - Bomber Hanger

 The Holocaust display is the first thing you see when you enter the Bomber Hanger.

Again, it was the murals or dioramas that were so realistic. I felt like I had stepped into a city in Germany in 1944.

A Holocaust Boxcar from Germany being used as the focus of this display. The mannequins are so realistic and the clothes make this a dramatic entrance.

Believing in Aryan superiority, German forces and their allies systematically murdered six million Jews. They also targeted Roma (Gypsies), the disabled, Slavic peoples, Jehovah Witnesses, and homosexuals.

The timeline shows January 30, 1933 as the first of the laws passed against the Jews in Germany.

Of interest to us was this photo of Dachau showing the Prisoner's Barracks since we had toured Dachau in October 2017. Dachau was built in 1933 to house political prisoners. It was the first Nazi Concentration Camp and served as a model for 30 other such camps. Over 200,000 were held at Dachau between 1933 and its liberation in 1945. Dachau prisoners were used as forced laborers and in cruel medical experiments.

B-25 Mitchell 'Paper Doll'

notice the guns and the windowed cockpit

WC54 Ambulance

acquired and restored Mitsubishi Zero

Mitsubishi A6M3 Zero c/n 3858, N553TT. Rebuilt in the 1990s for the Santa Monica Museum of Flying and powered by a P&W R-1830, the aircraft was featured in the movie Pearl Harbor and had last been owned by Japanese businessman Masahide Ishizuka. N553TT was flown briefly in Japan in 2016 and again for an extended stay in 2017. One of only five flyable Zeros.

I was also impressed by the research and information that was available for each piece of equipment. I did not really care about the different planes, but I appreciated the quality and consistency of the display information.

the Japanese pilots' uniform

This hanger also had many other WWII artifacts as well as BT-13 Trainer, German ME-109, Gruman FM-2 "Wild Cat", SNF-4, WC-55 Tank Buster and a theater featuring Voices of Valor, the stories of 4 area WWII veterans.

I have been to the Air & Space Smithsonian Museum, which is overwhelming. The Fagen Fighters WWII Museum is nearby, and excellent source of WWII history, very well maintained, and historically accurate. Devote a couple of hours for the tour; more if you are a WWII enthusiast. There are many benches for resting when not standing and reading information. There is another building, the 357th Fighter Group Briefing Quonset Hut and Control Tower, which I did not feature at all. Open Tuesdays-Saturdays 10 to 4 at a cost of $10 and within a couple of hours driving distance. It is well worth the time and drive.

And for the geocachers reading this...there is an Adventure Lab and several other geocaches in Granite Falls.

Fagen Fighters WWII Museum - Fighter Hanger

 

The mission of the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum:

Located in Granite Falls, Minnesota, the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum is a showcase of some of the most significant aircraft and ground equipment in that epic conflict. Most importantly, it is a tribute to the men and women of The Greatest Generation whose incredible sacrifices during that time shaped the freedom and liberty we enjoy today. Our mission is to preserve the memory of the heroes of WWII, promote patriotism in today’s Americans, and inspire tomorrow’s leaders to study and apply history’s lessons.

Through our exhibits, programs, and facilities, we hope to instill in all ages the curiosity and desire to learn more about this critical time in the history of the United States.

Curtiss Wright fighter

info board with each piece of equipment

notice the guns from the front of the cockpit

Sherman Tank

It was the murals or dioramas with the equipment displays that blew me away. They were stunning and realistic, colorful and huge. General Omar Bradley's D-Day Willys Jeep. 

PVT Ray Fagen awarded 3 Battle Stars

Normandy Invasion

Liberation of Paris

Battle of the Bulge where he was wounded

This bronze sculpture shows Ray Fagen leading the way off the Higgins Boat onto Utah Beach. The entire 4th Division landed in the 15th hour of Landing Day. 20,000 men and 1,700 vehicles landed on Utah Beach, June 6, 1944.

mural to the left of the sculpture

and to the right of the sculpture

The Fighter Hanger contains 2 P-40 Warhawks and 2 P-51D Mustangs, all in flying condition. There is a library and archives in the upstairs level of this building, above this display.

Preserve History

Promote Patriotism

Inspire the Future

Fagen Fighters WWII Museum - The Trainer Hanger

 Earlier this summer a friend told us about a fabulous WWII museum in Granite Falls MN. We added it to our summer list of places and included a day of some geocaching. This is one time the geocaching took a second seat. This museum is outstanding and so worthy of a visit by anyone with an interest in WWII.

There are four buildings with plans for a fifth one, just to give you an idea of the size. Because of the number of photos and information, I am dividing it into three parts. 

4.5 miles south of Granite Falls on State Highway 23

mannequins in appropriate dress

every plane flies

every vehicle runs

every piece has a display board of info

A plane had been moved outside and was running before we entered the museum. While Hubby was reading and asking questions, I went to watch the doors open

and the plane getting hooked to a mover tractor. 

The tractor pushed the plane back into its display spot with the help of a human assistant.

When it was back in place, the big door closed.

A USO mural and display. Ron Fagen and his wife are in the painted booth on the far right.

A little background info as to how the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum came to be.

The museum was started by Ron Fagen as a tribute to his father Ray, a pilot and a WWII veteran. The Fagen family owns and leads Fagen Inc. and Fagen Engineering, which is among the largest builders of ethanol plants in the country. Ron Fagen began flying, collecting and restoring vintage World War II aircraft decades ago. During the recession he decided to build a tornado-proof hangar and develop the museum as a way to keep employees working. Ron’s wife Diane and two sons are avid aviation enthusiasts and pilots as well. ~ Kingsbury Journal

Ray Fagen passed away in 2010. His son Ron and wife Diane began building the museum in his father's honor. The four hangers house 17 operational, restored planes in pristine condition, which fly at the air show in June. The museum (one building) opened in 2012 and has grown ever since, and continues to expand.

“During the recession, we had some slack time. Rather than lay anybody off, I asked my engineers to design a windproof and tornado-proof building – something to preserve these treasured aircraft, and by the way, make it LOOK like a World War II hangar.” ~ from an interview with Ron Fagen and worthy of a read.

Behind the Scenes of a Rodeo

Sorry about the really late follow-up post to the rodeo. this was an OOPS! I forgot it was in the draft file. 

I have been attending rodeos since I was a youngster. My Dad liked a good rodeo and if the timing was right on the farm, we would attend one of the performances (usually kids get in free night) July 2-4 of the Sitting Bull Stampede in Mobridge SD. That rodeo has been going on for 77 years; the Deadwood rodeo was 100 years this July.

As much as I enjoy the events of the rodeo, sometimes it is what is happening behind the scenes that is just as interesting. The Deadwood rodeo is structured so attendees can walk along the corrals and see the animals. Parking might be amongst the horse trailers. Families might be camping on the rodeo grounds for most of a week because events start on Wednesday and it takes many hands and bodies to get ready for events as big as the Days of '76.

These horses were used in either the bareback or saddle bronc events. Most of the time, they are very calm while awaiting their turn for the chute. Some of them are extras, in case a re-ride is needed.

This little guy got into the mix of the horses for the chute because his mama was chosen for one of the riders.

The bulls do more moving and milling around while awaiting their event. I chose this photo because the cut of his horns reminded me of the earrings some guys wear in the lobe of their ears. I noticed most bull's horns tips have been trimmed to a blunt edge. At least they were in the case of this stock producer.

I asked these kids if they were training the pony. The little girl replied, "He's already trained." It gave the kids something to do as I am certain it wasn't their first day at the rodeo grounds.

While I was waiting for Hubby, I watched a family leave the rodeo grounds in a rig similar to this one. A rig that has family living quarters in the front and animal quarters in the rear. The driver stopped to empty the living quarters sewer tank.

This is the tack closet. Three horses, four or five saddles and other riding equipment.  

This family was leaving because the wife got overheated the day before while doing their jobs (helping with the re-enactments) at the Friday rodeo. I watched three horses step into the trailer. I expected a ramp to be lowered, but the horses all stepped right up without any fuss. Once they were secured in their stalls, the family of four climbed in the truck and headed home. 

This is the line-up of four bachelorette parties at the Saturday night performance. The rodeo clown organized a relay race for them. They removed their shoes in the center of the arena, ran to the grandstand wall, ran back to their shoes, put them on, then ran towards the rodeo clown's assistant on the reserve side of the arena to give at high five. The first lady to do so won chocolates from Chubby Chipmunk (excellent chocolates by the way) AND a free marriage ceremony by the mayor of Deadwood. What the ladies did not know was the assistant did not stand in place to receive the high five but as a bull fighting clown, he dodged and ran all around while the young ladies chased him. It was a crowd pleaser to say the least.

The rodeo must be a bachelorette destination because on Friday night there were SIX parties attending. (The clown and the announcer both said they had never had that many in attendance at any rodeo, ever.) I did not take a photo, but that night the clown organized a relay event with the bride and her two fastest bridesmaids. (Okay. Two persons from the bridal party willing to participate!) It was a true relay. The bride and her chosen lined up in the middle of the arena. The bride ran to the far end where the roping events take place, touched the fence and ran back for the handoff to the second runner and then then third person. Again, it was certainly a crowd pleaser. The contestants took off their shoes to run in the soft dirt. The one who did not did a face plant, but her second, a bride's man made up for a lot of the lost time during his run to the fence and back. Her team did not win, but they did not come in last. The winning team got Chubby Chipmunk Chocolates. 

They were all good sports! They were young and having a good time, which is the purpose of a bachelorette party. They certainly entertained the crowd.

The Rodeo: Rides, Rules & Equipment

 The rodeo grounds are located in a picturesque setting on the outskirts of Deadwood. 

The grandstand and the reserved seating section were packed for the three sessions we attended.

The Saturday afternoon session started with a flyover from Ellsworth Air Force Base.

A nice breeze from the east helped keep the temperatures from being too warm, but the breeze also moved the dirt and dust from the arena action into the stands.

Bareback riding is the first event of the rodeo.

I was able to step into the staging area for the cowboys and take photos of the equipment used in this event and in the Saddle Bronc riding. You are looking at the top of the strap used by the riders. Just below the white area there is a metal handle. The rider shimmies up close to the narrow strap, wraps his hand around the metal piece, places his boots between the neck and front legs of the horse (withers) and keeps his legs there until the horse begins to buck once it is out of the chute.

This rider made his 8 second ride and the horse is looking to get out of the arena. You can see how narrow the strap is and how challenging it must be to hold onto the bar when the horse is in bucking mode.

I have circled this rider's hand on the strap. Not only does the rider need to have his feet in the correct position when leaving the chute, he must also spur the horse during the ride, keeping his free hand in the air (disqualification for touching the horse during the 8 seconds), attempt to get into rhythm with the horse, and hold on for dear life.

Steer Wrestling (bulldogging) is the second event. While the bucking horses are moved out of the east end of the arena and the next group of horses moved in to their holding pens, the action moves to the west end of the arena. A yearling steer is released from the chute. The contestant cowboy is astride his horse behind and to the left of the steer. Another rider, the hazer, is on the right of the steer. His job is to keep the animal between the two horses. Once the steer is released (it gets a bit of a head start), the horses and riders spring forth with the steer between them. The contestant leans from his horse, reaches down, grabbing for the steer's horns. Then the cowboy slides off his horse, twists the steer's head, forcing it down and turning it on its back. All four feet of the steer must lift off the ground for a score. A fantastic score is anywhere from 3.5 seconds to 4.0. A good score is anywhere between 4.0 and 4.9. Sometimes it does not go as planned and the steer gets away. Sometimes the cowboy does not have a good grip on the horns. Sometimes, the calf just refuses to flip and lay down. We saw a 4.2 score which was probably the top score during the three sessions we attended. (A line backer is more suited to this event than a quarterback.)

Saddle Bronc is the third event. This is the saddle. Each rider has his own saddle made and designed just for him. It has no saddle horn. So what does he hold onto for the 8 second ride?

The cowboy holds a rope that is attached to the bottom of the halter of the bronc. The saddle has stirrups and again, the feet of the cowboy must be in position along the withers and kept there until the horse has completed its first buck. (This rule also applies to bareback.) The cowboy's free hand must be in the air and not touch the horse and he must spur the horse throughout the 8 second ride. Scores are based on 50/50. Fifty for the horse and 50 for the rider. One would think if the horse twists and turns it would receive more points. That is NOT the case. Usually if the bronc gets into a smooth rhythm of bucking and moving in a straight line, AND the rider stays on, spurring the horse, the score is higher. Outstanding scores are in the 90s. Usually 80s will be a winning score. If the horse, does not buck coming out of the gate, or if the horse stumbles, the rider can have a re-ride on a different animal. The judges determine the re-ride option and the cowboy can decline if he wants. (This also applies to the Bareback and Bull Riding events.) I have seen low scores in the 60s.

Three other events happen before Bull Riding. Tie-Down or Calf Roping, Team Roping and Women's Barrel Racing. I do not have any good pictures of those events.

This is Mitchell. He is a stuffed distraction for the bull during the last event, Bull Riding.

The other distraction is the barrel. The rodeo clown uses the barrel as protection and a distraction after the 8 second ride. I have seen bulls toss the barrel with the clown inside. During this rodeo, the clown leaned Mitchell in front of the barrel. The clown only climbed in the barrel during the Friday performance.

This is the equipment of a bull rider. A helmet. He probably has his own riding strap (bull rope), although all the straps look alike in color and size. He also has a special vest, chaps, glove and probably a mouth guard in his bag. It was interesting to read about the vests and other equipment the bull riders wear (some are mandatory) and how equipment has evolved over the years.

The job of the bull fighters (the two guys reaching out to the bull) is to keep the rider safe once he has dismounted or been tossed AND to distract the bull once the ride is completed. Unfortunately, we only saw two or three riders reach the 8 seconds in the three rodeo sessions. Bulls and riders are scored at a max of 50 points each. Top scores usually range from mid-70s to mid-80s. The highest score ever received in bull riding was 98.75.

This bull refused to leave the arena. In fact, he charged the pick-up men's horses. He was roped and dragged.

It took two horses to pull him to the exit. No animal or person was injured during the exit. I will admit, it is action like this that makes the bull riding a great ending event of the rodeo.

The rider mounts the bull and grips a flat braided rope called a bull rope in one hand and wraps the rope around his gloved hand. The bull rope is tied behind bull's forelegs. His free hand cannot touch the bull. A bull will buck, jump, twist and turn during the ride. 

I have seen riders whose hands have been caught in the bull rope as they are bucked off the bull. Until their hand is released, they flop around like a rag doll as the bull continues to buck. 

Most of the contestants are between the ages of late teens and late twenties. The sport is hard on their bodies and probably their egos. The goal of the contestants is to make it to the world's finals, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo or PBR (professional bull riders) held at the end of the year usually in Las Vegas. The top 15 money winners in each event are awarded the honor. So, the more rodeos they enter, the better chance they have of winning money. The more money they win allows them to move up in the rankings. Most rodeo events award prize money for the top six finishers. The Wrangler NFR is the richest and most prestigious rodeo event. 

I looked at the pay out prizes for the Deadwood rodeo because I was curious as to how much money a winner might make not counting the expenses of an entry fee, travel, etc. 

The all around cowboy who entered and placed in two events (tie-down roping and team roping) won $3817. 

The saddle bronc winner with a score of 89 won $4907 and the two riders who tied for sixth place won $654 each.

Roping events have two rounds, A cowboy might place in the first round, but not the second, or place in both rounds, or in the second and not the first. So they could win money in round one, in round two and in the average. The top pay out steer wrestling was $4035. The tied eighth place winners got $117. The steer wresting winner tied for fourth in the first round and third in the second round. His total winnings for the rodeo were $6784.

Bull riders might make more money because fewer of them make the 8 second ride. The winner with a score of 88.5 won $4653.

The Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo is a ten day affair going on at the same time. The pay out at that rodeo is over $1 million and far exceeds the Deadwood total winnings of $186,000. At the Cheyenne rodeo a cowboy would perform three times at the max. Winnings for each event and each round may be similar to the winnings at Deadwood. But the total number of cowboys winning would be greater.

And finally, the top steer rider in the NFR has won $106,459.40 in 2022. He is from Louisiana. The top bull rider from Milford Utah has won $229,971.74.  What we do not know is how many rodeos they have entered  and money they have spent to reach the the top standing. All in the name of sports.

Personal comment & opinion: What I like and prefer about this professional sport is the player does not get paid if he or she does not show up and do well. Their pay (winnings) are totally dependent on their personal performance each and every time. And there is always the unknown of the animal and its performance. I prefer rodeo as a professional sport.