SHOW ROCKS FOR AVIATION FANS.Byline: Alex Dobuzinskis Staff Writer VAN NUYS - For veteran Rudy Navarro, Rockin' AirFest 2005 was about seeing other veterans and remembering his days aboard an aircraft carrier during the Vietnam War Vietnam War, conflict in Southeast Asia, primarily fought in South Vietnam between government forces aided by the United States and guerrilla forces aided by North Vietnam. . ``Kind of brings back a little bit of old memories,'' Navarro said. Navarro's father was a turret gunner on a B-17 bomber during World War II, and on Sunday the Vietnam veteran This article is about veterans of the Vietnam War. For the French psychedelic musical group, see Vietnam Veterans. Vietnam veteran is a phrase used to describe someone who served in the armed forces of participating countries during the Vietnam War. got an up-close look at a B-17 similar to the one his father flew in. Navarro was one of about 45,000 people who attended Rockin' AirFest 2005. The event at Van Nuys Airport Van Nuys Airport (IATA: VNY, ICAO: KVNY, FAA LID: VNY) is a public airport located in Van Nuys, California in the San Fernando Valley, within the Los Angeles city limits. invited visitors to see vintage and modern military aircraft and listen to live bands, said Stacy Geere, a spokeswoman for the Van Nuys Airport. Visitors cruised the tarmac and looked in awe at about 50 aircraft on display. Master of ceremonies Gary Bryan Gary Bryan is a radio disc jockey, currently on the air in Los Angeles, California at KRTH 101.1 FM. He is a veteran broadcaster, having been on-air at Z100 in New York City and in virtually every major market in the United States. , a disc jockey disc jockey (DJ) Person who plays recorded music on radio or television or at a nightclub or other live venue. Disc jockey programs became the economic base of many radio stations in the U.S. after World War II. on K-EARTH FM-101, kept the crowd entertained between half a dozen musical artists. A love of planes crosses generations for Navarro. His son's favorite is thMRV051605favorite he knows from Vietnam, the F-4J Phantom. ``Phantoms were louder than that. They had a double engine,'' said Navarro, 51, who lives in Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. and works for a brewery. Officials at Rockin' AirFest 2005 recognized the contributions veterans have made over the years. Also getting special recognition was Connie Stevens, who entertained troops with Bob Hope on USO USO: see United Service Organizations. (UNIX Software Operation) AT&T's Unix division before it turned into USL. See Unix. tours. ``Remember our servicemen. These people are on constant vigil. It doesn't end with a war or a conflict,'' Stevens said. The AirFest included an unveiling of a picture of Stevens painted on a Lockheed Super Constellation, a commercial airliner nicknamed the ``Connie'' that was used as a transport plane by the military. Among the more than 50 classic aircraft on display Sunday were the B-25 Mitchell, the 1945 experimental Northrop Flying Wing and the Grumman TBM-3 Avenger. The Avenger is a torpedo bomber similar to the one former President George H.W. Bush Noun 1. George H.W. Bush - vice president under Reagan and 41st President of the United States (born in 1924) George Herbert Walker Bush, President Bush, George Bush, Bush was shot down in over the Pacific in World War II. ``It was cool to look at the different planes and seeing that now a car can go almost as fast as some of the planes can fly. And just how far technology has come,'' said Gretchen Hydo, 30, of Sherman Oaks as she stood with her family in the shade of a transport plane's wing. Alex Dobuzinskis, (818) 546-3304 alex.dobuzinskis(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) Collin MacKechnie, 8, of Valley Glen, plays with a toy airplane amid larger versions Sunday at Rockin' AirFest 2005. (2) Visitors to the Rockin AirFest 2005 at Van Nuys Airport wait to climb inside a B-17 bomber Sunday morning. Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer |
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