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Learn about the history and restoration of “Miss Montana”
A fundraiser for the renovation of the North Lake County Public Library
Saturday, August 19th at the Lake County Airport from 4-6:30 pm
Miss Montana is the iconic DC-3 built in 1944 in Long Beach, California, and while she never flew as a warbird, she did serve as a military transport. The plane holds a special meaning to Montanans: in August 1949 she dropped 15 smoke jumpers into the wildfire on the Gates of Mountains Wilderness. Only 3 of those smokejumpers survived.
In June 2019 Miss Montana left her home at the Museum of Mountain Flying in Missoula to join other historic war planes to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Invasion of Normandy in France. The story of her restoration and journey is described by her co-pilot, Bryan Douglass, in his fascinating book, Every Reason to Fail: The Unlikely Story of Miss Montana and the D-day Squadron.
Douglass will fly Miss Montana to Polson for a first-time visit to our community on Saturday, August 19, 2023. He will provide tours of the plane, discuss her history, and sign copies of his book.
Miss Montana is a living symbol of how our Montana history is interwoven with our American history and the importance of remembering and honoring our past.
Hope to see you there!
Tickets purchased online can be picked up at the event. Tickets will also be available at the library’s temporary location in the Methodist Church at 301 16th Ave E, Polson.
Purchase Adult Ticket Purchase Ticket for 16 and Under